‘Secret’ political slush fund: Gov’s pre-election roads cash splash

The state government has begun spending cash from a little-known $100m road infrastructure program, sparking accusations it is being used as a pre-election slush fund.

The state government has begun spending cash from one of two little known $100m road infrastructure programs lacking clear guidelines, raising accusations it is being used as a pre-election slush fund.

Two new infrastructure programs — the $100m Local Congestion Busting Program and the $100m Productivity Enhancement Program — were written into the state budget released three weeks ago.

There was little mention of the programs until Transport Minister Bart Mellish, alongside local MP Mark Ryan, on Wednesday announced $7m from the “local congestion” fund would be spent planning the upgrade of a road in Morayfield.

Planning works to upgrade Buchanan Rd will be led by the Moreton Bay City Council, which has also chipped in $7m.

Premier Steven Miles. Picture: John Gass.

The state government revealed the projects for the Local Congestion Busting Program would be “identified by Transport and Main Roads” then progressed through “discussions with key stakeholders, including local councils”.

Mr Mellish’s office confirmed he would have final sign-off on the projects that are funded, consistent with other programs.

It is unclear how projects will be picked. There is no public facing information on either of the programs on the Transport and Main Roads or Queensland Government Grants website.

Multiple southeast Queensland councils confirmed they had not heard nor been approached about the programs even though council-owned roads, alongside state-controlled assets, are eligible.

According to Mr Mellish’s office TMR will consider projects that achieve the “objectives of reducing congestion” and “increase productivity” for the Local Congestion Busting Program and Productivity Enhancement Program respectively.

The Local Congestion Busting Program will “target improvements to the road network to reduce congestion by mitigating traffic delays caused by “bottle necks”, particularly at intersections

The Productivity Enhancement Program will focus on “improving the road network to support heavy vehicle movements … associated with key existing and emerging energy industries”.

“With the clear goal to reduce congestion and improve productivity, the funds could be delivered via a grant on a 50:50 matching basis or be delivered by TMR,” Mr Mellish said.

Opposition integrity spokeswoman Fiona Simpson said the program “stinks like a secret political fund full of Labor Party whiteboards and desperation, instead of a properly targeted roads program”.

“This should be about saving lives on our roads and time for Queensland families, not about saving the political skin of a desperate government,” she said.

“If the Labor Party had details of this fund, why did they deliberately choose not to include them transparently in the Budget?”

Labor holds the electorate of Morayfield with a healthy 16.7 per cent margin after preferences, though the party was tipped out in favour of the LNP during the one-term Campbell Newman wave.