Llew O’Brien on the Liberal leadership, Bruce Highway

Returned Wide Bay MP Llew O’Brien has made it clear he would support Peter Dutton as leader of the Liberal Party, and that campaigning for a dual lane Bruce Highway between Gympie and Maryborough will be a top priority over the next three years.

Re-elected Wide Bay MP Llew O’Brien’s feet have barely touched the ground since he was returned to office despite a nation-wide swing away from the major parties at the May 21 federal election.

Wide Bay remains a safe National Party seat with an 11.5 per cent margin, though there was a 3.4 per cent swing against the party in the primary vote in Wide Bay, and a 1.62 per cent swing away in the two party preferred.

With both the Liberals and Nationals now set to elect new leaders, Mr O’Brien said on Wednesday he had “a very good, constructive relationship with Peter Dutton” and that he would “support his appointment as leader of the Coalition”.

He also doubled down on his passion for making a safer Bruce Highway between Gympie and Maryborough, saying it needed to be “prioritised” by the State and new Federal Government.

“The Bruce Highway is owned by the Queensland Government and the Federal Government usually supplies 80 per cent of the funding for projects to upgrade the highway,” he said.

“One of the exceptions to this was the Cooroy to Curra Section A project which the Queensland State LNP Government wanted to progress by offering 50 percent of the funding, after the former State Labor Government prioritised the Section B project as the existing route along that section would have been flooded had the Traveston Crossing Dam proceeded.”

Re-elected Wide Bay MP Llew O’Brien’s feet have barely touched the ground since he was returned to office despite a nation-wide swing away from the major parties at the May 21 federal election.

Mr O’Brien said anyone who lived in the area and used the Bruce Highway knew it was “unsafe to have two opposing lanes of traffic coming at each other” while travelling at high speeds.

“If our section of the highway between Gympie and Maryborough was in New South Wales or Victoria it would already be four lanes,” he said.

Mr O’Brien previously campaigned and secured funding for the four-lane Tiaro Bypass, and the fasttrack the final section of the $1billion Gympie Bypass.

When asked if he was concerned that a State and Federal Labor Government could backflip on the Bypass project given its history, Mr O’Brien said there was a risk.

When quizzed on how he would approach working with a Labor Government, he said was “happy to work” with Labor State Member for Maryborough Bruce Saunders to “build a better Maryborough”.

“I have a constructive relationship with many Labor Members of Parliament in Canberra and I will advocate for a better Bruce Highway, improved access to doctors, upgrades to communications and funding for community, sporting and service groups,” Mr O’Brien said.

Wide Bay MP Llew O'Brien (left) with then Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and a design for the Tiaro Bypass on the Bruce highway in 2021. Photo: Stuart Fast

Despite the strong support for Greens and Independents, Mr O’Brien said conservative governments still cared about the climate and equality.

“It’s a myth that conservative governments don’t care about the environment, there are practical steps that have been taken by conservative governments to improve the environment without imposing new taxes,” he said.

“The former Coalition Government saw a 20 per cent reduction in emissions from 2005, and it was our government that legislated same sex marriage.”

In terms of this thoughts on Labor implementing a Federal ICAC, Mr O’Brien said he was in support, but needed to see Labor’s model to consider his position.

“I have always put Wide Bay first and foremost in everything I do,” he said.

“I have called out the opposition and my own side to get a better deal for Wide Bay and I will continue to do so.”

Mr O’Brien has also made some lifestyle changes in recent months, shedding some significant weight leading into the election. After coming off his motorbike and sustaining a neck injury at Lakeside Park, Mr O’Brien said he “needed to make some changes” to help his recovery.