Road safety and regional tourism go hand-in-hand

Few things showcase the best of WA better than a road trip.

During this year’s parliamentary winter break, my husband and I have travelled more than 3000km through our great State, including a journey along the iconic Canning Stock Route.

Like thousands of other West Australians, we shared the road with caravans, camper trailers, four-wheel-drives and families making memories in regional WA.

It reinforced something I’ve believed for a long time: road safety and regional development are not separate issues.

They go hand-in-hand.

WA is blessed with some of the world’s most spectacular tourism destinations. From the Coral Coast and the Kimberley to the Goldfields and our vast outback, people travel thousands of kilometres to experience everything our regions have to offer.

But the journey matters just as much as the destination.

Those long drives take travellers through dozens of regional towns that rely on tourism to support local jobs, small businesses and community services.

Every stop for a coffee, a meal, fuel or an overnight stay helps keep those communities alive.

Unfortunately, the Cook Labor Government is failing to invest in the infrastructure that makes those journeys safe and encourages people to stop.

Already this year, 112 people have lost their lives on WA roads.

Half of those deaths have occurred in regional WA, despite only about one in five West Australians living outside Perth.

We regularly hear about the “fatal five”: speed, fatigue, distraction, seatbelts and drink or drug-driving.

Fatigue, in particular, remains one of the greatest risks on our long regional highways.

The answer isn’t simply telling people to stop and rest. We also need to give them places worth stopping.

Too many regional rest areas are neglected, with broken facilities, overflowing rubbish bins, potholes and a lack of basic amenities.

Drivers who should be taking a break instead keep driving, hoping somewhere better is just up the road.

That’s a road safety issue. But it’s also a missed opportunity for regional tourism.

The same applies to many of our country towns.

Local governments work incredibly hard to create welcoming main streets, improve public spaces and develop attractions that encourage visitors to stay a little longer.

Local businesses invest in cafes, accommodation and visitor experiences because they know tourism is their lifeblood.

Yet too often those efforts are undermined by inadequate State investment in the basic infrastructure and services that make communities attractive places to visit.

When travellers don’t feel safe, can’t access clean public facilities or simply don’t see an inviting place to stop, they drive straight through.

That means fewer customers for local businesses, fewer tourism dollars staying in regional communities and fewer opportunities for drivers to take the breaks that could save lives.

Road safety and regional development should always go hand-in-hand, and investing in one strengthens the other.

Better maintained rest areas encourage people to stop before fatigue sets in.

Safer, more welcoming towns encourage visitors to spend money locally instead of driving on.

Well-maintained roads, clean facilities and thriving communities don’t just improve the visitor experience — they support regional jobs, strengthen local economies and make our roads safer.

If the Cook Labor Government is serious about supporting regional tourism, it must start by investing in the roads, rest areas and community infrastructure that connect people to these remarkable places.

Every West Australian benefits when our regions thrive.

So, if you’re heading off on a road trip these school holidays, take your time. Pull over regularly. Support the small towns along the way. Buy your lunch at the local bakery, grab a coffee from the corner cafe and spend your tourism dollars in regional WA.

You’ll help strengthen the communities that make our State so special, and you’ll give yourself the best chance of arriving home safely.

Because road safety and regional development aren’t separate conversations. They are two sides of the same journey.

WA Nationals MLC Julie Freeman is the shadow minister for road safety and member assisting the shadow minister for regional development.