Start Rockhampton Ring Road group and politicians push for project

It may be a new year but governments at both state and federal levels continue to face pressure over the Rockhampton Ring Road, on one issue in particular.

Jack Trenaman, Michelle Landry, Donna Kirkland and Matt Canavan.

It may be a new year, but governments at both state and federal levels continue to face pressure over the Rockhampton Ring Road from a group of local business people.

With works on Rookwood Weir and Shoalwater Bay now complete, the Start Rockhampton Ring Road group have called on the governments to ensure the money stays in Central Queensland and local workers are not overlooked when major works get underway.

Jack Trenaman, a member of the Start Rockhampton Ring Road group and he CEO of SMW Group, said they would continue to remind the governments to keep their promises.

“We’re here to start the year off fresh and make sure that both the federal and the state government are committed to their promises on building the Rockhampton Ring Road to its original design and also supporting the local content which was agreed to be 80 per cent for the local businesses and also anyone looking for a job,” he said.

“We’re getting around and having a look at the job sites, working behalf of the community as we have done and we’ve been requested to come along and remind all our state and federal officials that we want this Rockhampton Ring Road built and constructed in its agreed timeline as well.”

Grantley Jack, Jason Thomasson and Jack Trenaman from the Start Rockhampton Ring Road group in front of the newly painted silos at Parkhurst.

‘We want to see the local economy boosted right now’

JRT director Jason Thomasson, a fellow member, said with the projects such as Rookwood Weir and Shoalwater Bay now complete, it was time to keep the money in Central Queensland with the ring road.

“The concern at the moment is we want to make sure the governments and the major contractors onsite are looking after the locals first, we want to see the local economy boosted right now with the work that’s coming through,” he said.

“We want to make sure the local contractors are the first priority for the major contractors, that are the ‘tier ones’ here now doing the job, and that we’re not getting overlooked and seeing contractors coming in that have the same abilities local contractors have.”

A spokeswoman for Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said the use of local business is a key government priority and they are working with the state to maximise local business involvement in construction of the Rockhampton Ring Road.

Completion expected in 2025-2026

Capricornia MP Michelle Landry and Senator Matt Canavan called on the Federal Government to ensure the project was fully funded.

In November, the Albanese Government committed an additional $347.5 million to the Rockhampton Ring Road project after an infrastructure review.

Ms King’s spokeswoman said the Federal Government was “strongly committed” to delivering the Ring Road and ensuring it was properly planned and funded, while making the infrastructure pipeline sustainable.

Rockhampton Ring Road – New Fitzroy River bridge. PIC: TMR

“The estimated total cost to complete the Rockhampton Ring Road project is approximately $1.7 billion and late last year, the Australian Government committed an additional $347.5 million to project, bringing the total Australian Government contribution to $1.171 billion,” she said.

“The first phase of major construction of the project commenced in November 2023 with completion expected in the 2025–26 financial year.”

A spokesman for Transport and Main Roads Minister Bart Mellish said the state government was committed to the “full scope” of the Rockhampton Ring Road.

“Funding commitments will be updated through the normal QTRIP process as part of this year’s Queensland Budget,” the spokesman said.

Rockhampton Ring Road project’s long road so far

In 2022, this publication exclusively revealed the costs for the project had blown out by $700 million.

It was then announced by the federal government that the project could not be delivered in the initial timeframe.

The news of the delays in the project sparked a group of passionate project advocates participating in a convoy from Rockhampton to Canberra to put the infrastructure back on the table.

The funding for the project was reinstated in December 2022 and early works on the ring road began in 2023.