Michael McCormack out to make his mark with Queensland tour

Australia’s new Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack will embark on a profile-building tour of regional Queensland.

Michael McCormack at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith.

Australia’s new Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack will hit the ground running as he embarks on a profile-building tour of regional Queensland.

Mr McCormack — the new Transport and Infrastructure Minister — will spend the next two days in Queensland speaking to Nationals MPs and hearing from communities in an attempt to move beyond the fallout triggered by the political demise of his predecessor, Barnaby Joyce.

The Nationals leader will start the day by signing off on $411m in federal funds pledged to the Bruce Highway upgrade across the Haughton River floodplain near Giru, 50km south of Townsville, where he will be joined by maverick Nationals MP George Christensen.

The commitment to the floodplain upgrade — representing a 13.5km section of the highway between Ayr and Townsville — is expected to be matched with $103m in funds from the state government.

Work is expected to commence later in the year for a 2021 completion.