Following a review in 2021, the decision was made to transition road maintenance contracts and some minor works to an in-house delivery model. This was identified as an approach to help boost local economies by creating sustainable, long-term jobs in our communities.

The transition to in-house delivery began in 2022 in the Wheatbelt region, followed by Mid West, Gascoyne, Goldfields-Esperance, Perth metro, Pilbara, Great Southern, South West, and finally the Kimberley region late last year. The Incident Response Services contract also transitioned to in-house during this period. More than 550 new permanent positions were filled, with more than 420 of those roles filled by employees previously working for contractors.

Not only has the transition to in-house delivery provided more stability to employees in these roles, it has also allowed Main Roads to build staff skills and knowledge and become a more informed purchaser for the delivery of road maintenance and minor works.

Learn more about the journey returning to in-house maintenance directly from the workers in the vidoe below.