The Riverina Eastern Regional Organisation of Councils (REROC) asked its members to tally their estimated repair costs from the record-breaking rains so it could ask Roads Minister Duncan Gay for help, according to chairman Rick Firman.

“It was an extraordinary event and we’re seeking the minister’s strong support to assist with one-off funding to address the road damage caused by rain and flooding,” Councillor Firman said.

“Several councils got immediate relief in the form of $500,000 relief funding and we’re grateful for that, but when you look at those figures... If we don’t have that vital support from the state the money will have to come from communities and other projects will be put on hold.”

The massive downpours throughout September and October led to the closure of the Newell Highway for six weeks, cutting off the major Melbourne to Brisbane truck route and leaving crumbling roads pock-marked across the Riverina.

Geoff Crouch, managing director of Ron Crouch Transport, said state and federal politicians needed to recognise the importance of the Newell Highway and start planning an upgrade.

“These roads and the lifeblood of every regional community and to have such an important and integral thing below standard causes difficulty for everyone,” Mr Crouch said.

“This vital arterial highway needs to be built to a similar standard as the Hume Highway between Melbourne and Sydney.

“If these discussions don’t start not we’ll be stuck with the same piece of road for the next 20 years and that’s just not acceptable.”

Cr Firman said having the highway closed for so long was a major issue and he hoped to speak to Mr Gay about it “man to man”.

“I’d be amazed if he wasn’t already looking at it,” Cr Firman said.

“But you can only read so much from a letter and we indicated we were only too pleased to meet and elaborate on our detailed submission.”

REROC, which represents councils like Wagga, Coolamon, Cootamundra, Junee and Temora, announced a revision of its Regional Freight Transport Plan when the new leadership team of Cr Firman, Junee mayor Neil Smith and Coolamon general manager Tony Donoghue was elected.