Burdekin candidate Anne Baker pledges $157m for Peak Downs Hwy, Dysart-Middlemount Rd

A former mayor hoping to knock Burdekin MP Dale Last off his perch says if Labor wins in October, it’ll spend $157m to upgrade two key Bowen Basin roads.

Labor’s candidate for Burdekin and former mayor of Isaac Regional Council, Anne Baker. Picture: Michaela Harlow

A hopeful politician has promised to spend $157m on key Bowen Basin road projects if Labor holds onto power come the October state election.

Former Isaac Regional Council mayor Anne Baker, who is gunning to push Dale Last off his Burdekin electorate perch, made the royalties-funded election pledge on Thursday.

The funding pool includes for the Peak Downs Highway from Clermont to Nebo: $14.5m to build overtaking lanes, also covering Coppabella West; $49.5m for pavement strengthening and widening, and $54.5m to replace the bridge and approaches at Bee Creek.

Then for Dysart-Middlemount Rd, there are two $19.5m packages for pavement strengthening and widening works.

The upgrades will begin to be funded from 2024-25 financial year and “can only be made because of the strength that progressive coal royalties bring to Queensland’s balance sheet”, a Labor Party statement said.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads Bart Mellish says it is essential Labor’s road funding reflects the reality more people and industries operate outside of Brisbane. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Most of the $157m worth of road projects were not previously announced or committed to, with the 2024-25 budget hand down in June only outlining $500,000 out of a total $12m spend for the overtaking lanes on the Peak Downs Hwy, including between the Millenium and Carborough Down coal mines.

Ms Baker said the “coal roads” in the Bowen Basin were an “enormous” contributor to the state’s economy as she thanked the council, Local Government Association of Queensland, and the Mining and Energy Union for their advocacy.

When asked if the LNP would match Labor’s promise, Mr Last said the LNP committed to major upgrades in the lead up to the last state election.

“Labor has had a decade to take action on roads that, in places, are little better than goat tracks but now, suddenly, it’s a priority,” Mr Last said.

“What has been promised is a return of roughly 1% of the government’s royalties revenue last year to an area that generated 60% to 70% of those royalties. You can dress it up all you like but the fact is Labor has pocketed billions from the Bowen Basin in recent years and there has been very little in return.”

Transport and Main Roads Minister Bart Mellish said Queensland had Australia’s largest network and was the “most decentralised state” making it essential that funding for road projects reflected the reality that there are “more people and more industries operating outside of the capital city”.

To see what road projects across the Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday regions that received funding in the 2024-25 budget, click here for a quick rundown.