LNP Burdekin MP Dale Last, Mirani candidate Glen Kelly offer $100m for unspecific Queensland country roads

The money includes an extra $20m for a vital coal, agriculture highway — but the LNP candidate would not match Labor’s $100m+ promise for the same road or say when the costings would be released.

The LNP government has promised $100m of funding for country roads and inland highways across Queensland, but would not explain how that would be funded, or which roads would get the money.

Burdekin MP Dale Last stood on the corner of the Peak Downs Highway, which connects coastal Mackay to the inland coal mines and western towns between them to promise $20m of additional funding for it.

“That highway is disgraceful, there’s no other way to describe it,” Mr Last said.

But when asked whether he would match Labor Burdekin candidate — and former Isaac mayor — Anne Baker’s $100m promise just for the Peak Downs highway, he could not say yes.

Glen Kelly, LNP candidate for Mirani, (l) and Dale Last (r) LNP Burdekin MP standing by the Peak Downs Highway in Walkerston promising $20m for the highway, and $100m for country roads in Queensland. Picture: Paul Brescia

Glen Kelly, Mirani candidate for the LNP called the inland highways — like Peak Downs — important for the mining, beef and grain industries.

In July, Anne Baker promised to use $157m of coal royalties to upgrade the Peak Downs Highway and Dysart- Middlemount road, with more than $100m promised for the former.

For the $100m pool of funds, Mr Last said it would cover routes “like Duaringa to Bauhinia, Roma to Condamine” but could not be specific.

“Our shadow transport minister as he’s travelled around the state has identified a number of these roads,” Mr Last said.

“Once we get into government that funding will be prioritised on a needs-basis, those roads which are most in need.”

When asked how far $100m would go across Queensland, considering the Peak Downs Highway alone was being promised $100m by Labor, Mr Last said the money is “a start”, and that the LNP is “serious” about the upgrades.

Asked why the LNP wouldn’t match the funding if it was serious, Mr Last said the Peak Downs highway was in major need of funding.

Mr Last said the money was ‘fully costed’ as part of the LNP’s platform.

The LNP is yet to release that information to the public.

“Our shadow treasurer will be presenting a full account that has been audited and that will be rolled out throughout the election campaign,” Mr Last said.

When asked if that would be released to the public before voting begins, he said that is a matter for the leader of the opposition.