Qld’s worst roads revealed: Bruce Highway in ‘appalling’ state

Almost half Queensland’s Bruce Highway has a two-star safety rating or less, a secret audit of the state’s roads has revealed.

Almost half Queensland’s Bruce Highway has a two-star safety rating or less, a secret audit of the state’s roads has revealed, with sections in the state’s regions having the bulk of the dangerous conditions.

It is revealed ahead of the release of the Federal Government’s 90-day infrastructure review on Thursday, which is expected to include cuts and delays to Queensland road and rail projects.

The road safety data, provided to state governments by the Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP), has been kept secret by all jurisdictions including Queensland.

But it has been revealed following a Right to Information search by former police officer and Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien who blasted the “appalling” condition of the roads that were revealed.

Wide Bay MP Llew O'Brien. Picture: Scott Kovacevic

The data from 2019 showed 45.2 per cent of the Bruce Highway was rated just two stars out of five, compared 44.1 per cent that were rated three stars, and just 10 per cent that received four or five stars, according to analysis of the data done by the Australian Automobile Association.

Mr O’Brien said the Queensland Government had been keeping the vital road safety information secret, and warned more funding was needed to keep the Bruce Highway safe, not the cuts predicted in the review.

State Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the Palaszczuk Government was delivering the $13bn Bruce Highway upgrade program over 15 years and that improving safety on the road was paramount.

Mr Bailey said the former LNP Federal Government had 10 years to implement the sharing and publication of the data between States and Territories.

The data showed the Bruce Highway in the electorate of Dawson had the lowest overall star rating, with 63.4 per cent rated two stars or lower.

Hinkler, Kennedy and Flynn had between 51 and 54 per cent at two stars or lower.

Meanwhile, no sections of the highway in southeast Queensland locations like Petrie, Dickson, Longman, Fairfax or Fisher were rated less than three stars.

The Albanese Government’s election commitments are exempt from cuts in the infrastructure review.

Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP) data analysed by the Australian Automobile Association reveals the state of the Bruce Highway

These include and include $586.4m commitment to widen the Bruce Highway from Anzac Ave to Uhlmann Rd, $200m to widen the Bruce Highway from Dohles Rocks Rd to Anzac Ave – which fall into Petrie and Dickson – as well as $200m for Rockhampton to Gladstone upgrades of the Bruce Highway.

Mr O’Brien said the Bruce Highway was in “appalling” condition north of Gympie and needed more investment not less to make it safer, ease congestion and boost productivity.

“This is data that the Queensland Labor Government has kept secret from us, which identifies the shocking condition of Queensland’s roads and highways,” Mr O’Brien said.

“This is a major road safety wake up call for the Albanese and Palaszczuk Labor Governments.

“We need transparency and accountability for funding decisions to transform dangerous roads into safe roads.

“It’s people living in regional Queensland who will pay the price for Labor’s cuts.”

Australian Automobile Association managing director Michael Bradley said Australians paid for the roads and drove on them, they should have access to the data as a matter of course.

“Making this data public would allow for evidence-based policy making and also show Australians whether politicians are spending our money on roads to save lives or win votes in target electorates,” he said.

“At a time when the Commonwealth is cutting projected road investment, Australians need to see the facts to be assured that if cuts are made, they happen in the light road safety evidence, not political considerations.”

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey. Picture: Richard Walker

Mr Bailey said the Palaszczuk Government was working closely with the Albanese Government to develop a National Road Safety Data Collection and Reporting Framework.

“I will always support initiatives that will reduce Queensland’s road toll. I am advised TMR already supplies a broad range of road safety data to the Federal Government, including road conditions, crash data, rest area locations and traffic volumes,” he said.

He said the Palaszczuk Government had already delivered 466 projects to upgrade the Bruce Highway and another 80 were in development.

“There is no doubt that productivity and efficiency are important, but continuing to improve safety on the Bruce Highway is paramount,” he said.

“We know that our work to improve safety on the Bruce Highway has saved lives.”

He expressed concerns about the federal government cost shifting on infrastructure funding, saying it would put Queensland livelihoods at risk.

“The Palaszczuk government will continue our commitment to a safer and more efficient Bruce Highway, but we cannot do it alone,” Mr Bailey said.

Ms King has said there are is $33 billion of known cost overruns and an expectation that there will be more to come.

“Under the Morrison Government, they’ve put money into rail projects that, frankly, can never be built because they have not put enough money into them,” she said recently.