Balranald Shire Council has called for a more nuanced approach to rural speed limits, warning that blanket regulations could do more harm than good.

In a media release issued on November 7, the council outlined its position against what it described as "one size fits all regulation from Canberra" regarding speed management on rural roads.

Mayor Core Positioning emphasised that safety must be considered within its proper context rather than as an absolute principle.

"Safety must remain paramount but safety without context is not progress," the mayor said.

The mayor also challenged the notion that regional Australia should be treated uniformly, noting that distance is not merely a lifestyle choice but a geographical reality.

"For regional Australia, distance isn't a lifestyle choice it's geography. A blanket that treats our roads as if they're all the same, when they're not."

Chief Executive Officer Terry Dodds pointed to existing evidence suggesting that rural drivers already self regulate their speed.

"The data shows that speed choice in rural areas is already self regulating.

"Gravel, livestock, and weather naturally slow drivers down so no new default limit can change that," Mr Dodds said.

The CEO argued that from an engineering perspective, unsealed roads lack a defined design speed and that safety depends on multiple factors including surface conditions, visibility and maintenance rather than legislative limits.

The council expressed concern about the practical impact of proposed changes on rural communities.

Council officers warned that lowering default speed limits would not improve safety but would instead increase travel times, make enforcement more difficult and create frustration among road users.

Rural families and freight operators would face additional time, cost and distance in their daily activities, according to the council's assessment.

The council also raised concerns about equity, arguing that the proposal risked deepening the divide between urban and regional Australia under the guise of safety.

"Good policy targets risk where it actually exists, not where it's easiest to legislate," the council stated in its release.