North Queensland politicians share thoughts on Anthony Albanese’s Bruce Highway federal funding pledge
North Queensland politicians have promised to make “a hell of a racket” to ensure the billions of dollars in funding for the Bruce Highway is spent in the north.
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North Queensland politicians have promised to make “a hell of a racket” to ensure the billions of dollars in funding for the Bruce Highway is spent in the north.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese travelled to Queensland on Monday to announce a $7.2 billion commitment towards upgrades and repairs along the Bruce Highway.
The federal government has agreed to reinstate a 80/20 funding split for national highway with the state government.
Dawson MP Andrew Willcox feared North Queensland could be overlooked despite vital repairs needed in a dangerous section of the Bruce Highway between Townsville and Mackay.
He was concerned the Federal Government’s $7.2bn commitment was an election issue in which funding would trickle into South East Queensland, and ignore the almost 400km stretch of road he represented.
“What I’m looking for, is for it to get done,” Mr Willcox said.
“This whole thing is above politics, that’s how the people of my electorate get around.
“It’s not a nice to have, it’s how the people go to work, that’s how a lot of people take their children to school, and surely that should be a right that they should be able to do that and then get home safely.”
Mr Willcox said he represented the most dangerous section of the Bruce Highway, with the worst part being a 100km stretch between Home Hill and Bowen, and he had lobbied both sides of government to reinstate the 80-20 funding from the federal and state governments.
He said when the Labor Government reduced it to 50-50 the work “just wasn’t getting done” as the former state government also reduced its commitments.
Issues included the strength of the pavement which he said was collapsing and worsening following flooding last month, while he would also like to see more overtaking lanes to compensate for narrow roads.
“The water goes into those cracks, and then the cars and trucks come along, and because it’s soft underneath, you blow it out, you end up with a pothole, and the next one comes around, blows out, that’s the bigger pothole.
“And people are then swerving to try to avoid those potholes and potentially put their lives in danger.”
While Opposition leader Peter Dutton had committed to an 80-20 funding arrangement if elected this year, Mr Willcox said he would be fighting to make sure that arrangement benefited the north.
“I’ll be going into bat, and I’ll be making a hell of a racket to make sure, no matter who’s in power, and that’s on my side as well, does some work on this highway,” he said.
Labor candidate for Herbert Edwina Andrew said the fact Townsville was included as a priority showed the Albanese government’s understanding on the importance of safe roads.
“As a major North Queensland hub, we rely on our road networks to deliver resources and services,” she said.
“It’s about connecting people and driving economic growth right across our region.”
Ms Andrew said the funding was a step away from years of ‘inaction’ from consecutive coalition governments who had ‘ignored’ the people of Townsville and North Queensland.
“Townsville needs a voice in Canberra that represents all of the people in Herbert, who will work with the government to get things done.” she said.
LNP MP for Herbert Phillip Thompson said it was time to put politics aside and “get it done”.
“Too many lives have been lost on our roads,” he said.
“It is a shame the Prime Minister had to be dragged by the Coalition after Peter Dutton announced in the middle of last year a Coalition government would reinstate the 80/20 funding split after Labor cancelled that arrangement.”
Meanwhile the recently elected LNP State Government had established a Bruce Highway advisory council, and northern economist Colin Dwyer was planning to present findings of the road to Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg.
Mr Willcox said his next step would be to meet with Mr Mickelberg to make sure that funding outcomes could also happen at a state level.
“I’ll let them get their feet under the desk,” he said.
KAP leader Robbie Katter posted to Facebook saying if Albanese’s announcement shows some willingness to spend ‘decent money’ on the Bruce Highway for regional transport it was something he was ‘very excited about’.
Mr Katter noted priority areas must include areas of Townsville, Mackay and Cairns receiving dual lanes extending 50km in each direction of each regional hub, as well as upgrades to narrow and ‘unsafe’ bridges in flood areas.
Member for Hinchinbrook and KAP deputy leader Nick Dametto called the announcement ‘fantastic’ and said the funding would go a long way towards beginning necessary improvements on the Bruce, but said more funding was still needed.
“This should just be the start, there needs to be at least another $13 billion invested into the Bruce Highway to bring it up to modern standards,” he said.
“We also want to see a commitment from the Federal Opposition leader to ensure that if there is a change of government, this funding is not lost.”
Mr Dametto said for as long as he can remember people have been calling for safety improvements along the Bruce Highway calling the road a bone of contention for anyone living in the region.
“Since I was a child we’ve been watching consecutive governments work along the goat track of a highway but to no avail,” he said.
“We need mega investment if we are going to bring the standard of this national highway up to the same standard that we see in the southeast.”
Saying the sections between Ingham and Tully are some of the worst along the highway, Mr Dametto said he will continue to fight for funding to ensure theses areas were among the first to be improved.
“There has been a significant amount of funding spent between Ingham and Townsville over the last seven years and I am quite proud of the improvements made along that section but there are neglected sections,” he said.
“It can go from wide sections with multiple bridges and a rough goat track with dangerous hot spots. We need to make sure the Bruce Highway is one standard from start to finish.”
Shadow Minister for northern Australia, Senator Susan McDonald said the ‘sudden interest’ in fixing the Bruce Highway was the federal government using the issue for ‘political points scoring’.
“The issues with the Bruce are not new, and Queenslanders deserve better than short-term vote-buying announcements,” she said.
“Peter Dutton said in September that a new Coalition Government would reinstate the 80/20 road funding model that Labor scrapped as part of its decision to cut $488 million for the highway.”
“As a result of Labor’s cuts, $108.2 million less will be spent on Bruce Highway upgrades this financial year compared to the previous budget allocations.”
Senator McDonald, who lives in Townsville and is a lifelong user of the Bruce, said she welcomed any additional funding but urged Federal Labor to release their detailed costings and delivery dates.
“The previous Coalition Government launched a $10 billion package of works for the Bruce Highway that reflected its national significance and the scale of improvements needed,” she said.
“I am in regular contact with transport companies, road safety advocates, tourism operators and commuters dismayed by the lack of attention to our national highway in Queensland,” she said.
Senator McDonald noted improvements to the road would greatly benefit the state.
“Every year the highway is cut due to flooding, preventing basic goods and services reaching people. Every day there are bad accidents and near misses which could be reduced with widening, rumble strips, more overtaking lanes and clearer signage.”
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