It was a real honour to visit the dedicated Fulton Hogan team working on the Newell Highway upgrade between Narrabri and Moree on Friday.

As the largest-ever upgrade along this essential freight corridor, this project will transform over 20 kilometres of new road pavement, intersection improvements, widening of road shoulders, and the provision of five additional overtaking lanes, ensuring safer and more efficient passage for all who travel this route.

I was thrilled to be invited to present Why Safety Matters (WSM) to 70 attendees as a critical safety initiative ahead of the holiday season. This was a timely opportunity for a meaningful safety reset, encouraging the team to refocus their mindset and reinforce their commitment to maintaining high quality and safety standards as we approach Christmas.

The positive engagement from everyone during the session in Bellata, accompanied by a BBQ and open discussions, created an uplifting experience that truly resonated with all involved. The dedication of the Fulton Hogan team to finishing this project strong is inspiring, and their commitment to safety is setting a powerful example across the industry.

A huge thank you to Tim Dyball for reaching out to me and asking for WSM to come to his project, Brooke Emment and Shane Hassett from Fulton Hogan and Justin Moore and Natasha Waeger from NSW for allowing WSM to be engaged on the project and George Warrener (section 1 lead) and Morgan Lashbrook (section 2 lead) for showing Jess and I around the project sites and to everyone involved for the warm welcome and for prioritising a safe, successful completion.

Your hard work and unity in driving safety forward make a genuine difference for this project and the entire community. Thanks again, take care and let's keep the focus on safety as we head into the holiday season.