5Declaration of national highways and developmental roads

5 Declaration of national highways and developmental roads

(1) The Minister may declare a road in a State that constitutes, or a proposed road in a State that would, if constructed, constitute, a part of the road that, in the opinion of the Minister, is or will be the principal road linking: (a) 2 or more State capital cities; (b) a State capital city and Canberra; (c) Brisbane and Cairns; or (d) Hobart and Burnie; to be a national highway for the purposes of this Act. (2) The Minister may declare a road in a State that constitutes, or a proposed road in a State that would, if constructed, constitute, a road that should, in the opinion of the Minister, be treated, by reason of its national importance, as a national highway for the purposes of this Act to be, for those purposes, a national highway. (3) Where the Minister is of the opinion: (a) that a road in a State is of use, or a proposed road in a State would, if constructed, be of use in the development of particular industries or particular energy resources or in facilitating or developing trade or commerce with other countries or among the States; and (b) that, for that reason, the road is, or the proposed road would, if constructed, be, of national importance; the Minister may declare the road or the proposed road to be a developmental road for the purposes of this Act. (4) The Minister may revoke or vary a declaration made under this section.