Bruce Saunders, Llew O’Brien clash on 4 lane Bruce Hwy push

Politicians representing Wide Bay and Maryborough have exchanged fire over a potential four-lane upgrade to the Bruce Hwy, with claims of a “backflip”.

Wide Bay MP Llew O'Brien (left) and Maryborough MP Bruce Saunders (right) have exchanged fire over the long-demanded proposal to upgrade the Bruce Hwy between Gympie and Maryborough to four lanes.

MPs for Wide Bay and Maryborough have exchanged fire over the long-demanded four lane Bruce Hwy upgrade between the latter city and Gympie.

Wide Bay LNP member Llew O’Brien said Wednesday he welcomed comments from Maryborough MP Bruce Saunders that the notorious 46km stretch needed to be improved, even if they were a “backflip”.

“There’s an old adage about a conversion on the road to Damascus, and this is Bruce’s conversion on the road to road safety on our horror stretch of the Bruce Hwy,” Mr O’Brien said.

He said Mr Saunders, the state’s assistant transport Minister, first joined his senior Minister Mark Bailey in committing to a two-lane only Tiaro Bypass then “steadfastly resisted” the ultimately successful campaign for it to become four lanes “saying it was up to me to get the funding for it, which I did”.

Then, at the Queensland state election, Mr Saunders’ Labor Party rejected the LNP’s election commitment to four lane the Bruce Highway, with Mr Bailey on September 27, 2020 calling it a “Deb Frecklington fantasy”.

There have been three deaths recorded along a 46km stretch of the Bruce Hwy between Gunalda and Bauple since the start of 2023.

He said the Labor Party’s preferred solution was an 1186km alternative out west.

“Then, Bruce fell silent behind Minister Bailey when he rejected my calls for the four lane Tiaro bypass to be prioritised and fast tracked,” Mr O’Brien said.

“But now in a move I give him full credit for, Bruce has backflipped after visiting Gympie where he finally and very publicly acknowledged the need for a four lane Bruce Highway right through Wide Bay.”

Mr Saunders rejected the suggestion there had been any change in his stance.

“I’ve always backed four lanes,” Mr Saunders said.

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Making four lanes a reality always came down to one requirement he had from Mr O’Brien and the LNP coalition federal government at the time: “Show me the money”.

Mr O’Brien said 11,000 vehicles travelled the highway between Gympie and Maryborough every day, and in every jurisdiction with similar volumes the national highway was four lanes – except Queensland.

Maryborough MP Bruce Saunders rejected claims he had “backflipped” on his position about the Bruce Hwy between Gympie and Maryborough, saying he had always been in favour of four lanes. Picture: TMR

“I completely agree with Bruce when he said, ‘it’s time we get the four lanes through now’, and we now need to know when the four lanes will happen, lives depend on it,” Mr O’Brien said.

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Mr Saunders reiterated he was keen to move forward on securing the next stage of the Bruce Hwy upgrades by working with everyone who had a stake in its’ success like the Mayors of Gympie and the Fraser Coast.

“It’s a bit too much to expect the Member for the Wide Bay to work with me and the community because he’s been too busy playing silly political games,” Mr Saunders said.