Ted Cunningham Bridge disaster highlights funding needed for Isaac region

A state MP has blasted the state government for failing to provide regional residents with essential services and infrastructure, following the recent Ted Cunningham Bridge disaster which left residents stranded for a week.

Strathmore Road to Ted Cunningham Bridge. Picture: Katrina Lezaic

Despite Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick’s promise to return $3bn in coal royalties to areas in need within Central Queensland, Burdekin MP Dale Last believes the state Labor government “who have delivered nothing for years” cannot be trusted to deliver.

It comes after the $4.6m Ted Cunningham Bridge sustained significant damage earlier this month and was washed away by floodwaters, about a week after it was officially opened by Whitsunday Regional Council.

Mr Last claimed Minister Dick and colleagues were ‘playing the people of the Isaac region for fools’.

“It’s an absolute disgrace with the resources and the produce that comes out of Central Queensland, that we are still driving on unsealed roads that are in such a poor state of repair,” he said.

The recent disaster in Collinsville has shed light on the pressing need for better infrastructure within the region.

“Council didn’t actual contribute any money towards the construction of the bridge, even though it’s a council asset,” Mr Last said.

“It’s a council road but there was certainly federal government funding and there was also Roads to Recovery Funding from the state government put towards the construction of the bridge.”

Ted Cunningham Bridge over the Bowen River washed away in floodwater. Picture: Katrina Lezaic

With the bridge not able to withstand rising floodwater, residents claimed corners were cut during the construction of the Ted Cunningham Bridge.

“The contractors wanted to put two more spans on the bridge but Council wouldn’t have it,” Glenmore resident Jim Hillier claimed.

“They made them dig it out and fill it up with crap and covered it with sheeting and it had no chance of surviving.”

Stranded residents were given access to the old lower-level bridge across the Bowen River late last week, which is now open to traffic up to a 10 tonne load limit.

Council also said some roads in the area would be graded, including Mt Wyatt Road and Rutherford Road to Mt Coolon, with grading teams also on the back road from Bowen River to cater for vehicles over 10 tonnes.

“At the end of the day, these roads are our arteries. We don’t have public transport, we don’t have rail networks,” Mr Last said.

“People can’t get on an electric train and go to work.

“We are seeing school bus runs cancelled because of the conditions of the roads, we are seeing road trains full of livestock overturning.

“These roads are in urgent need of a major, major upgrade.”

Strathmore Road on the way to the Ted Cunningham Bridge. Picture: Katrina Lezaic

An important road in the area, residents had lobbied for decades to have a new bridge built across the Bowen River, before watching it wash away three days after it officially opened.

“While the Treasurer is swimming in pools of money generated in the Isaac region, there are towns where there is no permanent hospital doctor because, apparently, the budget doesn’t allow it,” Mr Last said.

“The people in the Isaac region are putting their lives in jeopardy on roads that are little more than goat tracks in order to take their kids to school.”

The Whitsunday Regional Council said it was still considering different options to repair the new bridge and would advise further on action to be taken.

Minister Dick revealed in his budget update last week that $2.95bn in additional revenue had been drawn from new mining royalty tiers he introduced in June, far above the initial $765m projection, and he has promised to return the money to towns in mining regions.

“These new royalties that were earned in regional Queensland will not leave regional Queensland,” he said in a speech to the Queensland Media Club on Wednesday.

“Queenslanders deserve their fair share and they will receive it.”

The $3bn will be held within a consolidated fund and managed by the Queensland Investment Corporation, a government-owned investment body.

Originally published as Ted Cunningham Bridge disaster highlights funding needed for Isaac region