Independent Alice Springs MLA Robyn Lambley has called on the NT Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to immediately investigate the rapid and severe deterioration of newly re-sealed roads in the Alice Springs CBD, calling the project an “abject failure”.
The three roads – Hartley St, Bath St, and Gregory Tce – were part of the government’s Alice Springs CBD revitalisation project, which began in 2021 but was completed in 2024 after several delays, as part of the then NT Labor government’s $20 million Alice Springs CBD Revitalisation Program.
Ms Lambley said the roads have come undone, with significant areas across the CBD road network transforming into pools of liquid tarmac.
“This committee has the power and resources to investigate all areas of NT Government spending and has the power to uncover why this Alice Springs road-works project has been an abject failure,” she said in a statement.
“Whilst I am not proposing a witch hunt, the lines of accountability within the NT Government for this poorly executed and even more poorly delivered NT Government-funded project must be identified. Public scrutiny of this project is essential.”
In August, the condition of the roads in the Alice Springs CBD visibly worsened.
An issue with the works, called “bitumen bleeding”, began to affect large areas of the recently sealed roads. Under growing public pressure, local industry experts disclosed that the re-sealing process may have been carried out improperly.
Starting in October, water trucks have been spraying the roads, while gravel has been added to the bitumen by the Department of Logistics and Infrastructure. The department has not disclosed the costs associated with these works, but remedial efforts on the three roads are scheduled to commence on December 8.
At the Alice Springs Town Council ordinary council meeting in October, Councillor Eli Melky asked if it was possible to get a “warranty period” on roadworks completed by the NT Government following the roads melting in extreme heat.
Alice Springs Council’s director of technical services, Joel Andrew, has also aired his concern regarding the recent resurfacing of the roads.
Mr Andrew said he is looking into a warranty for the work done.
He estimated that the cost of resurfacing could run into the millions and stressed that the council would only take ownership of the roads once it was confident in the quality of the work.
Additionally, he stated that council will conduct comprehensive inspections of all work before the handover.
Public Accounts Committee chair Clinton Howe told the NT News the committee will discuss the issue when it next meets, sometime in the new year.
Wouldn’t surprise me if this contract was given to one off Labors mates without Tender, like many other contracts did under Chansey and Labor!
Corruption as usual.