WRESTLING WITH RURAL ROADS

Australia's rural roads are essential to the nation, both economically and socially. Expenditure on major highways seems both necessary and assured. It is argued that funding progress for other rural roads depends on the establishment of clear funding policies related to road function. If local authorities establish clear policies for their local roads, they may avoid the imposition from above of politically based road funding decisions, even if an apparently justifiable increase in road funds does not occur.