Llew O’Brien wants Tiaro Bypass funds confirmed amid federal audit
A Wide Bay MP wants funding for a ‘lifesaving’ Bruce Hwy bypass to be given the same security as the billions of dollars set aside for the 2032 Olympics, while the state’s Transport Minister has shot back at what he calls a ‘campaign of fear mongering’.
Gympie
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Wide Bay’s LNP MP wants funding for a “lifesaving” $336m Tiaro Bypass to be given the same security as the billions of dollars set aside for the 2032 Olympics as the project’s future remains under a cloud.
Llew O’Brien has called for the money to be guaranteed after the project was not included in the May budget due to an ongoing review of infrastructure projects across the country.
But state Transport Minister Mark Bailey has said the bypass will be delivered as promised and criticised Mr O’Brien’s “campaign of fear mongering” over the project.
The bypass, which would detour the main highway around the township 26km south of Maryborough, had previously been promised $269m in support from the federal government.
It is one of more than 800 projects now being audited by the federal government as part of a 90 day review.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Tuesday the infrastructure program “has drifted away from a focus on projects of national significance, and market capacity challenges and cost pressures have increased”.
“An independent strategic review will ensure the Government’s $120bn pipeline over ten years is fit for purpose and the Government’s investment is focused on projects which improve long-term productivity, supply chains and economic growth in our cities and regions.”
Only projects which have already begun construction or were federal Labor election promises will be excluded from the review.
However Mr O’Brien said the upgrade of the “dangerous” stretch of the Queensland’s main highway should be afforded at least the same respect as the funding earmarked for the Olympic Games.
“The Minister has said the Labor Government’s $3bn Brisbane Olympics commitment is exempt from the review, but the four lane Tiaro bypass isn’t,” Mr O’Brien said in a press release.
“Surely the lifesaving Tiaro bypass can be quarantined from Labor’s cuts in the same way the Brisbane Olympics are?
“I’m putting the Government on notice not to cut, defer, delay or reduce the scope of the Tiaro bypass.
“The section of the Bruce Highway through Wide Bay is one of the deadliest and if the Federal Government is as serious about road safety as I am it should join my call on the Queensland Government to fast track and prioritise the four lane Tiaro bypass.
“We need the four lane Tiaro bypass done as soon as possible and then the remaining sections of the Highway between Gympie and Maryborough four-laned to transform this dangerous section of the Bruce Highway into the safest.”
Mr Bailey said Tuesday the state government was moving forward with the bypass.
“This is a critical piece of infrastructure, and we recently awarded the tender for detail design, which is scheduled to be complete later this year,” Mr Bailey said in response to questions about the federal review and Mr O’Brien’s comments.
He said Mr O’Brien had engaged in a campaign of “fear mongering” to make the community think the project “was in doubt”, including recent claims it was “woefully behind” despite offering “not a shred of evidence to back this claim up”.
“The Palaszczuk Government is delivering the Tiaro Bypass project,” Mr Bailey said.
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