I contribute to debate on this important motion. First, I acknowledge that the New South Wales Government recognises the significant and the ongoing disruption that the closure of Victoria Pass along the Great Western Highway is causing for local communities, businesses, schools and families, and for freight operators and the tourism sector. I know how hard the closure is for my community, especially in the upper mountains. I take this opportunity to thank them for their patience, understanding and communication. That extends to the many people who have contacted me from the Central West as well. I particularly thank the Victoria Pass Closure Local Impact Committee, which was set up by businesses and individuals from around Mount Victoria, and the Hartley District Progress Association. They have been in constant communication with me and with the taskforce and the offices of a number of Ministers.

Transport for NSW needed to close the eastbound lane of the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass on Thursday 5 March this year after a defect was identified. Geotechnical assessments commenced immediately. Further cracking was detected in the westbound lane on 8 and 9 March, and monitoring confirmed movement within the road substructure and potential instability in the underlying formation. As a result, both lanes of the highway, both in Little Hartley and between Little Hartley and Mount Victoria, remain closed until further notice. Safety has been and always will be our number one priority, which is why we are urging community members, visitors and all road users to follow the directions of Transport for NSW. The Government is focused on maintaining access between Sydney and the Central West and delivering the quickest, most efficient solution to reinstate that vital link on the Great Western Highway.

In response to the closure, the New South Wales Government acted swiftly. The Premier set up a taskforce that is being led by Transport for NSW and the Reconstruction Authority. We have committed $50 million to upgrade key detour routes across the Blue Mountains and out into the Central West. This funding will improve safety and reliability on the Darling Causeway, Chifley Road and Main Street in Lithgow. Resurfacing, shoulder-widening and line-marking works will manage the significantly increased traffic and freight volumes. This investment is specifically targeted at strengthening the main detour routes that are carrying a higher demand due to the closure of Mitchells Causeway. Since the $50 million detour package commitment was made in March, we have laid more than 85,000 square metres and 24,000 tonnes of asphalt, and over 102 kilometres of line-marking has been completed. This work is critical in ensuring the detour route remains safe, reliable and open while the Great Western Highway is closed at Victoria Pass.

It is important to note that although a section of road is closed there is still a way to get through. The mountains and the Central West remain open. As the member for Dubbo pointed out, the New South Wales Government has also delivered a $3.5 million support package in addition to the detour package to assist small businesses and councils across the Blue Mountains and Central West that have been impacted by the closure. We have also increased a number of train services and provided free coach trips for people, and these services have been well utilised. We are committed to providing clear and timely information and practical support while this complex investigation and repair program continues.

Transport remains closely engaged with all of the communities and will continue to provide timely updates to motorists as further information becomes available. Transport will also implement a range of traffic changes, which I believe is happening in Lithgow, to improve road safety and better support the community during the ongoing closure. Transport has worked with representatives from Lithgow City Council, the Department of Education and local schools to develop plans to help the road network run more efficiently and to limit the impact of higher traffic volumes on detours through the town. Recent changes to the bus timetable will also enable smoother travel.

Work to reinstate Mitchells Causeway on the Great Western Highway is moving quickly ahead. Transport has engaged with leading experts from Australia and overseas to safely reopen the road as soon as possible. Transport invited a select group of just over 20 companies with relevant experience to submit proposals after an industry briefing on Thursday 23 April and a site inspection on Wednesday 29 April. Transport invited representatives with the knowledge, experience and capacity to deliver a high-quality solution on an accelerated timeline. There was a high level of interest from the industry representatives that were invited to provide realistic solutions to reinstate this critical road link.

Proposals were shortlisted within a week, and on 13 May the Government announced that two engineering consortia had been selected. They will be led by Seymour Whyte and Gamuda. Both proposals are currently being assessed and developed side-by-side. Examining both options in parallel will allow the Government to move more quickly towards selecting one of them and starting major construction. We have been up-front about the closure extending beyond June. The Government will provide an updated time frame once a consortium is appointed. We acknowledge the concerns regarding the need for long-term, resilient transport solutions. These are complex issues, but we will continue to do the work. We will prioritise a stepped approach to investment by commencing short-term initiatives to better understand community needs and travel behaviour.

In the short time I have left, I point out that the members opposite failed to address this issue for 12 years. They spent $300 on this stretch of road in their final year in government—300 bucks, not $300,000 or millions of dollars. The member for Dubbo is the former Minister for Western New South Wales. The member for Bathurst did next to nothing when he was the Minister for Roads and Regional Transport. We are getting on with addressing the issue.