ICPA NT implores the Minister for Logistics and Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics to ensure that all Northern Territory roads under Territory jurisdiction – including both sealed (bitumen) and unsealed (dirt) roads – are maintained to a minimum standard that supports safe and reliable travel for families and Department of Education staff.
Many families across the Northern Territory must travel vast distances on remote roads to meet their children’s educational needs. Increasingly, families are reporting that road maintenance is not meeting the minimum standards required to keep these routes safe and reliable.
There is significant concern that current funding and maintenance schedules are inadequate, with roads often deteriorating to unsafe conditions only weeks after a grade due to heavy usage from freight, community access, pastoral operations, and commercial activity. Families are frustrated that these minimum standards are not being met, leaving roads in a consistently poor state.
These unsafe or unreliable road conditions force families to reconsider whether it is feasible for their children to attend essential educational commitments such as contact events, assessments, school pickups or returns of unit work and resources. When road conditions are severe, Department of Education teachers may also be unable to travel, or may require extended travel time, resulting in delayed or cancelled school patrols. This directly reduces students’ access to valuable face-to-face teaching and vital health and support services.
Entire Roper Hwy
Rankin Highway
Tablelands Highway
Buntine Highway
Duncan Highway
Western Creek Road
Gorrie / Dry River RoadDorrat Road
