Bruce Highway campaign: Katters back release of road safety data

Federal MP Bob Katter has signed on to support a national push to make road safety data publicly available, isolating Queensland’s five federal Labor MPs.

Federal MP Bob Katter has signed on to support a national push to make road safety data publicly available, leaving Queensland’s five federal Labor government MPs as the only representatives to not back the move.

The Australian Automobile Association has led the campaign to pressure state and federal governments to publish ratings data to ensure transparency for major funding announcements.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Mr Katter has now signed on to the campaign, joining Liberal and National Party MPs.

Meanwhile, his son and prominent state crossbench MP, Robbie Katter, warned the Bruce Highway is “most notorious” between Townsville and Cairns.

The Katter’s Australian Party leader said the stretch between the two northern cities is riddled with “extreme” surface degradation, potholes, narrow bridges and a lack of overtaking lanes.

“It is frustrating tens of billions of dollars is earmarked for the Olympics, renewables and Cross River Rail, while our calls to fix our National Highway, connecting Cairns to Brisbane, don’t seem to be a high priority for the state and federal governments,” he said.

“Regional Queenslanders are fed up with the stock standard response from the federal and state governments when it comes to spending money outside of capital cities.”

Katter’s Australian Party’s Bob (front) and Robbie Katter

Transport Minister Bart Mellish conceded he was yet to drive the entirety of the Bruce Highway but insisted he had visited a significant number of sites along the road since taking on the portfolio.

The revelation was in response to a question from his portfolio rival, LNP’s Steve Minnikin, who drives the length of the highway every year.

Mr Mellish said: “I have probably been on the Bruce Highway more than I have had hot lunches since coming into this job as Minister for Transport”.

The comments come as The Courier-Mail was told a long-awaited report on Bruce Highway upgrades will be released after the federal budget is handed down next month and Commonwealth funding is guaranteed.

The Bruce Highway Trust Advisory Committee – made up of industry leaders and community representatives – was established in 2020 to manage future projects and improvements on the route.

Final draft plans were submitted to the government in 2022 but they have not been released after 18-months.

It’s understood the federal government’s departure from the previous 80:20 funding split has cast doubt over the report with the state government now waiting for investment guarantees to be outlined when the budget is handed down on May 14.