Callide MP Colin Boyce and Queensland’s Transport Minister Mark Bailey issue heated statements on road deaths

Two Queensland political heavyweights have squared off after it was revealed the Callide electorate was the state’s deadliest road so far this year.

Callide MP Colin Boyce said recent RACQ data which labelled his electorate's roads as the deadliest in the state was a, "Sobering reminder that more people die on regional roads."

Two Queensland political heavyweights have gone toe-to-toe after it was revealed 11 people have died on Callide roads so far this year.

Callide MP Colin Boyce and Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey engaged in a heated argument after Mr Boyce said deaths in his electorate were a sobering reminder more people die on regional roads.

“Disobeying simple road rules, speeding, not wearing seat belts, driving distracted with phones, alcohol, drugs, fatigue can all be contributing factors,” he said.

“The state of our rural roads is also a major factor.

“Every month, I drive thousands of kilometres in the Callide electorate and yes, our roads are among the worst in Queensland.”

Mr Boyce said the lack of maintenance funding to the road infrastructure had been clearly identified by the Auditor General’s report with a projected $9 billion shortfall.

“Bridge and culvert refurbishment and road resheeting are operating at under 20 per cent of its budgeted need,” he said.

“It is quite evident that the State Government is not interested in addressing this growing problem.

“Instead, the Department of Transport and Main Roads is spending $380,000 to survey a bike way down the main street of Moura (Dawson Highway).”

Mr Boyce said the recent estimates process, where he could ask questions of the Department in respect to rural and regional road maintenance, was a farce.

“Only one hour and 40 minutes were permitted for questions to the Minister and the Department,” he said.

“Unfortunately, by the time that all the southeast corner transport issues are addressed there is no time left to ask questions on the state of our rural roads.

“Can the Minister explain why hundreds of millions of dollars are allocated to bike ways – particularly in the southeast corner – when rural Queenslanders don’t have a reasonable road to drive on?

“One can only hope that Minister Bailey has read the RACQ report and can look to invest in the regional areas where the food and fibre is generated for Queenslanders.”

Mr Bailey said Mr Boyce pocketed a $24,000 annual bonus per year to sit on the parliamentary Transport Committee.

“However, during its four hour estimates sitting last week he didn’t ask a single question on behalf of Central Queenslanders. Not one word,” Mr Bailey said.

“Colin Boyce was the only MP on the entire committee not to ask a question during estimates.

“Four hours and not a single question, and now he’s making lame and ridiculous excuses for his $24,000 pa ‘sit down and shut up money’ from Queensland taxpayers.

Mr Bailey said over the next four years the state government was delivering a record $27.5 billion roads and transport plan which was creating 24,000 jobs and driving Queensland economic recovery from COVID-19.

“This includes delivering $17.5 billion worth of project across regional Queensland,” he said.

“Additionally, in the last few days we locked in $174 million worth of funding for road safety projects across Queensland, which includes $33 million dollars’ worth of projects around the Callide electorate which the state government will be delivering.

“This is in stark contrast to what happened under the LNP in power, which cut $1.6 billion from the roads and transport budget, including a $60 million cut from road safety funding, a $25.6 million cut from the regional safety development program and a $93.2 million cut from council road funding – the heart of regional road funding.

“In this year’s state budget we committed almost $1.7 billion to road safety, which will be used to prioritise safety upgrades, improve driver education, make school zones safer and develop policies to reduce road crashes and trauma.

“We’re also taking action right now by rolling out mobile and fixed cameras to catch drivers illegally using their mobile phones and not wearing seatbelts, anywhere, anytime, including in regional areas.”

Mr Bailey concluded by saying that from next month Queensland will also have tougher penalties for drink drivers, with first-time offenders who are convicted of drink driving and have their licence disqualified required to complete a new education program before they can get their licence back.