Bypassed by Bureaucracy: Farmers Warn Red Tape Could Stall Emergency Far West Road Repairs

Key points

• Farmers in NSW's Far West say strict government rules could stall a plan to use local machinery to repair washed-out dirt roads. Transport for NSW plans to hire isolated landholders as private contractors through a formal tender process.
• Delays have been linked to safety requirements, including a dedicated on-site safety supervisor. Prolonged closures on the region's 2,800-kilometre unsealed road network have disrupted livestock transport and tourism.
• Producer groups are calling for an emergency model that would let nearby farmers clear washouts immediately.