Pothole Compensation

Six years ago, I raised a Matter of Public Importance in the Assembly, urging the Labor-Greens government to get on top of road maintenance. For years, the government had failed to meet its own resealing targets, creating a huge backlog. I warned then that poor road maintenance would prove costly in the future.

That future has arrived. Although the ACT Government continues to blame ‘unprecedented rainfall’ for the many potholes now plaguing our roads, experts agree that properly maintained roads do not just deteriorate in the rain.

Many cars have been damaged by potholes. I spoke in October about improving the process of making a claim for compensation from the ACT Government. The process is now easier, but it still takes too long for claims to be settled: 59 per cent remain unsettled after 30 working days, and 22 per cent take more than 60 working days.

In the Assembly today, I spoke in support of a Liberal motion calling on the government to settle all claims within 30 working days, with interest accruing on payouts after that point. It is the least that ACT Labor and the Greens can do after years of neglecting our essential road network.

Click on the arrow button to read my speech.