Far North ‘short changed’ by feds but hope remains of state spend

A big ticket Far North infrastructure snub in this week’s federal budget is expected to be offset by state cash being poured into key road projects that need to be prioritised.

An artist's impression of the new bridge solution for the crossing of Barron River at Kuranda. Picture: TMR

A big ticket Far North infrastructure snub in this week’s federal budget is expected to be offset by state cash being poured into priority key road projects.

A cost-of-living relief-focused budget this week failed to deliver on desperately needed bricks and mortar projects advocated for by Advance Cairns and Cairns Regional Council.

A topping up of $215m already pledged for a Cairns drinking water project and an additional $38m needed to build the CQUniversity Cairns city campus were projects conspicuously absent from the federal budget papers.

Cairns Regional Council's Water Security Stage 1 project. Picture: Cairns Regional Council

Barron River MP Craig Crawford in an open critique of federal spending made clear he believed the Far North had been “short changed” by Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

“Around the water security project I’m not surprised to not see it in the budget,” he said.

“In terms of infrastructure spending I think we have been short changed.

“Jim Chalmers did say it was a cost of living budget.

“But that doesn’t let them off the hook, all those things, including the CQUniversity campus and water security project are what we expect to see funded.”

The Kennedy Highway bridge over the Barron River, near the town of Kuranda. The bridge has been assessed by engineers to carry a maximum load of 50 tonnes, and has been limited to a single lane of traffic. Picture: Brendan Radke

Looking ahead to the upcoming state budget, Mr Crawford said he would be looking out for cash to replace or repair the ailing Barron River Bridge at Kuranda.

“That is definitely something I would expect to see in the state budget, the bridge is near end of life and we have to move on it now,” he said.

“It’s the one thing I will be looking for in the budget and I will be pretty annoyed if it’s not there.

”The detailed design is the next stage, it’s probably a year and a half to do it on a bridge of that span and it will be two to three years for construction.”

Putting the 61-year-old structure back in the spotlight came as TMR announced yet another round of full closures of up to 10 minutes between 9am and 3pm beginning on Monday, May 20 through until Friday, May 31.

Plans for the Cairns Western Arterial Road duplication.

The Barron River MP also expected to see a topping up of $300m already secured for the Western Arterial Rd duplication to enable the kick off preliminary works this dry season.

“I know Main Roads are ready to move on the Caravonica section from the school to the lights,” he said.

“I expect there to be something in the state budget and I would be pretty annoyed if it doesn’t happen.

“It’s dry season now and we only have a six month window, so we need to get cracking.”

Mr Crawford said he didn’t feel the Far North had been “singled out” and significant projects in other regions had been passed over.

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Originally published as Far North ‘short changed’ by feds but hope remains of state spend