South Coast MP Shelley Hancock wrote to Mr Morrision, urging him to commit funds towards the upgrade of the highway south of Jervis Bay Road.

In her letter, Mrs Hancock pointed to the recent number of fatalities, eight since December 2017, on the section of road as the urgent reason for needing to prioritise the highway’s upgrade.

“Scott Morrison is a regular visitor to the South Coast and is aware of the great role the highway plays in the everyday life of South Coast residents,” Mrs Hancock said.

Although Mrs Hancock welcomed the Commonwealth’s funding for a new Nowra bridge, she said more funds were needed for the highway. 

“That is the first contribution to major infrastructure projects along the Princes Highway from the Commonwealth Government in over a decade,” she said. 

“In this year’s budget alone the NSW Government allocated more the $1.5 billion to deliver major upgrades to the highway.”

Upgrading the highway to the Victorian border would remain a “top priority” for Mrs Hancock. 

“I have also advised him [Prime Minister Scott Morrison] of the importance of this project to the local community, emergency service personnel and of the ‘Fix It Now’ campaign, which continues to have my full support,” Mrs Hancock said. 

“As the new leader of the Federal Government I have requested that he continue the focus on delivering major upgrades to the Princes Highway.” 

The Fix It Now campaign was launched by Fairfax Media in Mollymook in March 2018 and calls on the state and federal governments to commit to 80/20 funding for major safety upgrades to the Princes Highway. 

Mrs Hancock has asked to meet with Mr Morrison at the “earliest convenience” to discuss funding for the Princes Highway.