Toowoomba projects named on Infrastructure Plan

THE Toowoomba Second Range Crossing and Warrego Hwy Upgrade Program have been named in the State Government’s first State Infrastructure Plan in three years.

THE Toowoomba Second Range Crossing and Warrego Hwy Upgrade Program have been named in the State Government's first State Infrastructure Plan in more than three years.

The government said the plan would drive the Darling Downs' economy and deliver the infrastructure the region needed to grow and generate jobs.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the long-term plan committed to significant reforms to the way Queensland planned, prioritised and invested in infrastructure, and it followed the establishment of Building Queensland as an independent infrastructure advisor to government and Market Led Proposals to encourage new private sector investment.

Releasing the plan yesterday, Premier Palaszczuk and Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government, and Planning Jackie Trad also announced the establishment of a new State Infrastructure Fund, with an initial investment of $500 million.

Ms Trad said the State Infrastructure Plan also outlined a clear, four-year pipeline of projects to provide the private sector with the confidence to invest in people and resources by knowing what projects will be in market when.

"Through the SIP, the Darling Downs region now has an infrastructure blueprint and a clear four-year pipeline of work that will meet the future demands of the area's population, and deliver economic growth and jobs year after year."

However Opposition spokesman on infrastructure Tim Nicholls said the much-touted "plan" delivered nothing for the Darling Downs region, but rehashed, recycled and reused projects with no way to fund them.

"Unfortunately Darling Downs has been let down by the Palaszczuk Labor Government's lacklustre infrastructure plan," Mr Nicholls said.

"The only projects identified for the region are the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing and upgrades to the Warrego Highway.

"These projects were already under way and happening - again it shows a complete lack of vision.

"These projects also come with significant funding commitments from the Federal Coalition Government, which just shows the hypocrisy of the Premier blaming Canberra for her infrastructure freeze."

Originally published as Toowoomba projects named on Infrastructure Plan