Call for mining royalties to ‘fast track’ Peak Downs Highway upgrades

‘We’re seeing too much of this funding going down into Brisbane for projects such as Cross River Rail. We need much more investment here on road and rail.’

Opposition Natural Resources, Mines and Energy spokesman Pat Weir was in Mackay to tour METs sector businesses with Whitsunday MP Amanda Camm. Picture: Heidi Petith

MPs unimpressed with the budget allocation for Peak Downs Highway upgrades are calling for mining royalties to fast track the “critical economic infrastructure”.

Opposition mines spokesman Pat Weir said Mackay was the “very, very strong” heart of a resources’ state and deserved a better highway to service the Bowen Basin.

Mr Weir said he heard “time and time again” from METs sector businesses that their hard work propping up Queensland was going unrecognised when road infrastructure projects were prioritised.

“When the LNP was in government in Queensland, it introduced a scheme Royalties to the Regions and that was to return a lot of those royalties to the regions to build the infrastructure that actually services those industries,” Mr weir said.

“Peak Downs Highway, that would have been an automatic one.

“We’re seeing too much of this funding going down into Brisbane for projects such as the Cross River Rail.

“We need much more investment here on road and rail.”

Opposition Natural Resources, Mines and Energy spokesman Pat Weir was in Mackay to tour METs sector businesses with Whitsunday MP Amanda Camm. The duo is advocating for mining royalties to “fast track” upgrades for the Peak Downs Highway. Picture: Heidi Petith

Joining him on touring Paget mining businesses was Whitsunday MP Amanda Camm who said the government must “fast track” the “critical, economic” Peak Downs Highway infrastructure.

Ms Camm said the highway was inefficient from the level of commuter traffic and heavy haulage vehicles combined with timber bridges desperately requiring investment and “pinch points” needing widening.

She said the Road Accident Action Group had long advocated for the upgrades necessary to prevent crashes and repeat incidents of mining equipment falling off trucks and blocking the road.

A truck lost its load on the Peak Downs Highway at Epsom in April this year, blocking the road four hours.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the state government was spending $70 million upgrading the Peak Downs Highway across several projects.

“That includes $35 million to upgrade priority sections between Clermont and Nebo, and $18 million for safety upgrades between Mackay and Eton,” Mr Bailey said.

“This budget also includes funding for the upgrade of Bee Creek bridge.”

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey talking in Brisbane about new initiatives to support South East Queensland commuters heading into the CBD. Picture: Peter Wallis

Mr Bailey said the government’s “record” $27.5 billion of road and transport projects over the next four years included $3 billion for the Mackay Whitsundays and Central Queensland region.

“(This) is in addition to Cross River Rail’s budget,” he said.

“Investments in the Peak Downs Highway are also supported by major projects it connects to like the Walkerston Bypass upgrade that is about to start and the $189 million Eton Range realignment completed last year.”

Mr Bailey said two days before the 2020 election, the LNP had planned to cut $695 million of regional road projects to fund a new Gold Coast highway.

He said this included $18 million put aside for Peak Downs Highway upgrades between Mackay and Eton.

Originally published as Call for mining royalties to ‘fast track’ Peak Downs Highway upgrades