Bruce Highway: Funding split remains a sticking point as Qld Premier and PM meet to prioritise safety upgrades

Steven Miles and Anthony Albanese are set to meet to discuss priority safety upgrades to the beleaguered Bruce Highway, but there’s still a major issue that could block the funds needed to get the jobs done.

Premier Steven Miles will discuss priority safety upgrades for the Bruce Highway with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tomorrow, with the state government expected to negotiate its own funding increase if the federal government reinstates the 80:20 split.

It comes as major insurer AAMI released new crash data showing eight of the 10 most common crash locations in Queensland were situated along the Bruce.

The Premier on Wednesday revealed that both Mr Albanese and Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King had been provided an updated list of priority projects for the Bruce in Canberra last week, as the state government bids for increased federal highway funding.

Mr Miles said he felt the federal government was genuine about its intentions to fix the Bruce, but indicated that any funding discussions would remain preliminary in the absence of a budget cycle.

Premier Steven Miles meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tomorrow to discuss Bruce Highway funding. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

“Minister King was in town yesterday, she asked to catch up with me about it,” he said.

“The Prime Minister knows that Bruce Highway better than just about anyone, and he was able to look through that list of projects and knew where those locations were.”

Mr Miles and Mr Albanese are expected to discuss the priority list on Thursday.

The Bruce Highway accounts for eight of Queensland's top 10 crash zones.

Transport Minister Bart Mellish said the state was “working cooperatively” with the Commonwealth under the limitations of the current 50:50 funding split.

Mr Mellish said car insurers sharing crash data had their own motivations, including “driving people to their own websites,” and reiterated that there had been a reduction in road crashes on the Bruce over the last decade.

Aftermath of a crash on the Bruce Highway at Bloomsbury involving two trucks and a car on August 1, 2024. Picture: Janessa Ekert

“It’s pretty clear from their own data today and from TMR data that there are a reducing number of crashes on the Bruce Highway, particularly over the last 10 years,” he said.

“Vehicle crashes per kilometre travelled, we’ve seen over a 30 per cent reduction’

Asked whether that reduction had led to fewer fatalities, Mr Mellish said there were a “range of factors that go into that”.

“Including driver behaviour,” he said.

The state government is willing to increase its own Bruce Highway funding beyond the current $6bn investment, Mr Miles said, under the proviso that the federal government “does their fair share”.

“We believe their fair share is 80:20 funding,” he said.

“We’re fighting for every single dollar we can get … as well as be willing to increase our own investment to match those funds.”