House of Representatives
Federation Chamber
Constituency Statements
Tuesday 31 March 2026
Mr SMALL (Forrest—Opposition Whip) (16:18): Today I rise to give voice to the farmers, transport operators and primary producers across Western Australia's South West—people left behind by failures at both the state and federal level.
Some 26 key bridges have suddenly been downgraded—some to just 11 tonnes. Eleven tonnes is not a safety limit; it is a regional blockade. It's heavier than many tractors and far below the weight of the milk tankers and livestock trucks that are essential for our food supply. Producers are being forced into long detours. There are higher fuel costs—in an already high-fuel-cost environment—lost labour hours and reduced productivity. Worse still, heavy freight is being pushed onto local roads built for families, school buses and growing suburbs. You don't improve road safety by forcing 50-tonne road trains onto local roads in school zones. While millions and billions flow into Perth vanity projects, regional producers have simply been told to find a workaround. But you can't work around higher costs, lost income and the risk of fatal accidents. The people of south-west WA do not want excuses. They want bridges that they and the businesses they depend on can actually drive on