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AdBlue Update
New alignment for southern section of DongaraGeraldtonNorthampton Route
Anew corridor for the southern section of the future DongaraGeraldton-Northampton (DGN) Route has been chosen following extensive community and landowner feedback.
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Initial planning identified a preferred route corridor between Dongara and Geraldton that largely followed the Arthur Road alignment near the Walkaway townsite.
The new proposal will see the route deviate eastwards around the main Walkaway townsite before reconnecting with the previous alignment at Moonyoonooka, reducing impacts on homes, and addressing access and severance concerns raised by the Walkaway community.
As a result of the latest planning
investigations, the number of dwellings south of Moonyoonooka within the investigation corridor has reduced significantly from ten to four.
Main Roads will continue to work with landowners to discuss ways to mitigate any potential impacts.
Given the positive community feedback on the proposed corridor north of Moonyoonooka and south of Mount Horner Road West, no changes are planned in these areas.
Planning around Moonyoonooka has also highlighted the potential for a traveller centre or road train assembly area, presenting an opportunity to recognise local history and Moonyoonooka's role as a community hub.
Main Roads will continue discussions greater certainty.
Construction of this future route is subject to funding, although the section north of Geraldton is considered a priority. Construction of the southern section between Dongara and Geraldton is not expected until at least 2035.
Geraldton MLA Lara Dalton said, "The Dongara-Geraldton-Northampton Route has been talked about for many years and I'm pleased the McGowan Government is getting on with the job of planning for this important piece of future infrastructure.
AdBlue Update
Industry bodies across Australia have been investigating and lobbying for the short and long term availability of Adblue.
The ALRTA participated in an ATA webinar on AdBlue supply security in July and AdBlue supplier DGL AUSblue briefed ATA councillors about the outlook for Australia’s AdBlue supplies.
DGL AUSblue supplies around 30 per cent of Australia’s AdBlue.
DGL AUSblue’s general manager, Matthew Berry said, that in his view, there’s no reason to fear an AdBlue shortage in the lead up to Christmas.
He said there is an oversupply of AdBlue leading into December because AUSBlue has been importing significant volumes and Incitec Pivot is producing millions of litres a week.
In contrast to the crisis experienced in late 2021, he said Australia now has several options for sourcing technical grade urea, with significant imports forecast to be landed, providing AdBlue manufacturers with capacity to increase stock inventories. The Australian Department of Industry is continuing to coordinate meetings of an Industry Supplier Working Group to monitor supply data and facilitate rapid decisions. It is thought that any future threats can now be identified 4-6 months in advance.
At the height of the crisis, and after vigorous industry lobbying, the Australian Government provided almost $30m to Incitec Pivot Limited (IPL) to ramp up AdBlue production at its Gibson Island plant. While production has since increased by more than 800%, helping to ease the crisis, IPL has announced that the facility will be closed at the end of 2022.
Industry is again lobbying government to support a longer-term solution that would ideally involve Australian-based production of significant quantities of technical grade urea.
In a previous update, the new Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic told the ATA that the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources is continuing to engage actively with Australian Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF)/Technical Grade Urea (TGU) importers, producers and the fuel retailers and wholesalers on the status of the DEF market and the level of government involvement necessary for optimal market function.
Our current understanding is the Australian DEF market is now well supplied, inventories have recovered to pre-supply crisis levels, and any stock outs should be localised and temporary. The Department understands from ABS data that source-country supply chain diversification has improved compared to this time last year.
The Department is continuing to monitor the market situation and work actively with the sector to enhance market transparency arrangements to support more informed and better decision making by industry and government.
with the current owner of the Moonyoonooka Store.
This planning work is being undertaken as part of the DGN Alignment Selection Study, which aims to identify a 500 metre route corridor to accommodate a 100 metre-wide road reservation, to be defined as part of a future planning phase.
Once a final preferred corridor has been finalised and approved by the State Government, Main Roads will include the route in strategic statutory planning documentation to provide landowners
