Bruce Hwy to finally get $7bn upgrade under federal plan

Major Bruce Highway upgrades will be funded in the 2025-26 state budget and begin by the end of the year after both sides of federal politics committed to a $7.2bn cash injection, as the State Opposition tries to claim the credit.

The Bruce Highway is Queensland’s longest and most perilous highway.

• Editor’s view: Win for Queensland
• Minister: No more broken promises

Major Bruce Highway upgrades will be funded in the 2025-26 state budget and begin by the end of the year, after both sides of federal politics committed to a $7.2bn cash injection.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in Queensland to announce the extra money to lift Bruce Highway’s entire 1673km stretch to a minimum three-star safety rating.

The huge win for Queensland follows The Courier-Mail’s Help Our Highway campaign, which launched in April last year revealing more than half the Bruce failed basic safety standards and calling for significant investment to fix it.

Premier David Crisafulli on Monday confirmed the state would now fast-track finalising a Bruce Highway rollout plan, with the first upgrades along the deadly road to be included in the June budget, as the Opposition takes credit for the funding commitment.

“There is urgent planning work that has been done,” he said.

“I’m going tomorrow, with Brent (Mickelberg) and the Director General of transport to talk with some of the delivery elements of TMR to make sure that we do not miss this opportunity.

“You’ll see projects that will roll out this year.”

The government has welcomed Federal Labor’s $7.2bn funding announcement, with Mr Crisafulli confirming Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton had also committed to an 80:20 funding split for the $9bn package.

The agreement is dependent on Queensland putting in the remainder $1.8bn.

Jim Chalmers with The Courier-Mail's front page.

“I spoke to the Prime Minister yesterday, and the short answer is, of course, this 80:20 funding was always a non negotiable for us,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“Queensland will be spending our 20 per cent and the projects will be done in a disciplined and methodical way, and by doing that, we can deliver more road for the money that’s allocated.”

Shadow Treasurer Shannon Fentiman said the deal announced by Mr Anthony Albanese “came off the back” of the work undertaken by Steven Miles, despite the former premier’s inability to secure the deal prior to the October state election.

“I am here claiming the credit on behalf of Steven Miles,” she said.

“We worked incredibly hard to work with the federal government to secure this money.

“Our record speaks for itself, you know, $6bn committed under the former Labor state government.”

Ms Fentiman questioned where the state government would find the $1.8bn needed to fulfil the 20 per cent contingency.

“I think this does pose some challenges for David Crisafulli,” she said.

“He’s got to find this much needed $1.8bn for the Bruce Highway, but he’s also said he’s going to deliver a surplus and he’s going to lower debt.”

The Opposition has demanded the government include the Bruce funding in its mid-year budget review.

“We need to see it in black and white, and we need to know how they’re going to find that money and what they’re going to cut,” Ms Fentiman said.

Shadow Treasurer Shannon Fentiman and Opposition Leader Steven Miles. Pics Adam Head.

Mr Crisafulli said the state government had successfully bargained for the funding, even if it was tied to Labor’s hopes of winning the upcoming federal election.

“If it is, it’s a win for Queensland,” he said.

“No matter who wins the next federal election, the Bruce Highway will finally be funded.”

Mr Dutton confirmed in September he would reinstate the 80:20 funding agreement if elected Prime Minister.

Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Senator Bridget McKenzie said the government had cut and delayed Bruce Highway funding over three budgets.

“Local communities have been outraged over funding cuts and serious accidents on the Bruce and their campaigning has forced Labor to restore funding for the Rocky Ring Road and backflip on their decision to reduce support from 80 to 50 per cent funding,” she said.

“Unlike Labor, the Coalition will not be cutting funding budgeted for upgrades to the Bruce Highway designed to save lives and prevent fatal crashes.”

The Premier refused to be drawn on which sections of the Bruce he would like to see upgraded first.

Funding will be staggered over four years.

“We want to make sure that we deliver each and every year,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“Of course, we will, but there has to be projects that begin this calendar year.”

Forty-three people died on the highway in 2024, almost a 40 per cent increase on the annual five-year average of 31.

Two people have already died on the highway this year. A 43-year-old Kallangur man and a 57-year-old Buddina man were killed on January 3 in a crash at Owanyilla on the Fraser Coast, on a section of road with a safety rating of just one star.

Mr Albanese said Queensland deserved a long-term plan for the Bruce Highway, with the new funding bringing Labor’s total expenditure on the route to more than $17bn.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will make the announcement in Queensland on Monday.

“I’ve driven the Bruce Highway many times, and I know the critical role it plays for Queenslanders, tourists and freight,” he said.

“We’re getting on with building a better future for all Australians.”

The federal government has agreed to reinstate an 80:20 funding split for the critical national highway, which the Department of Transport and Main Roads had estimated would cost $9bn to achieve the minimum of three out of five star safety rating for the entirety of the Bruce.

As a major road corridor connecting Brisbane to regional centres like Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns, the Bruce Highway is critical to the movement of passengers, freight and tourists across the state – supporting around 62 per cent of the population in Queensland.

The Australian Road Assessment Program has rated 45.2 per cent of the Bruce Highway as two stars out of five for safety, 44.1 per cent as three stars and only 10 per cent as extremely safe.

The worst rated parts of the highway include stretches from Childers to Gin Gin, Mackay to Prosperine and Gin Gin to Miriam Vale, Sarina to Mackay.

The section of the road where three women were killed in a horror bus crash in July between Bowen to Ayr is also considered among the most dangerous.

The new safety package will fast-track critical projects along the whole highway, and will initially focus on priority sections north of Gympie that have been identified due to their higher than average crash rates.

These priority sections include Maryborough to Benaraby, Rockhampton to St Lawrence, Bowen to Townsville and Ingham to Innisfail.

A crash at Owanyilla on the Fraser Coast. Picture: 7News

Projects within the package may include installing safety barriers, wide centre lines and audio tactile line marking, constructing wider shoulders, increasing run off areas, overtaking lanes and rest areas, as well as improving intersections, signage, and sight lines.

There will also be a focus on resealing and rehabilitating road surfaces for resilience to “build back better” and mitigate damage from increased weather events.

The identification and prioritisation of projects funded under the package will be informed in consultation with the Queensland Government and the Bruce Highway Advisory Council, with works starting this year.

Federal Treasurer and Queensland MP Jim Chalmers said the highway was important for the state’s economy from the southeast corner to the tropical far north and everywhere in between.

“This is all about transporting people, goods and opportunities and linking and strengthening local communities and economies right around regional Queensland,” he said.

Infrastructure and Transport Minster Catherine King said it was not good enough that almost half the highway had only a two-star safety rating.

“This historic investment answers the call of Queenslanders to bring the Bruce up to a three star safety rating so Australians stop losing their loved ones on this road,” she said.

“We are providing a significant and long-term commitment to fixing the Bruce, and I call on the Queensland Government to partner with us to get this done.”
Mr Albanese’s trip to Queensland is the start of a one-week pre-election blitz, which also takes in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Originally published as Bruce Hwy to finally get $7bn upgrade under federal plan