Betterment funds flow for South Burnett

A key school bus route and access road linking rural producers to markets will be upgraded in the South Burnett as part of the Newman Government’s push to make flood-ravaged communities more resilient.

Community Recovery and Resilience Minister David Crisafulli announced in Kingaroy today that the Mondure Wheatlands Road, damaged twice in two years by floods, would be the first of several ‘betterment’ projects for the region.

“In the past, the guidelines for replacing infrastructure have been so rigid and bureaucratic that councils were only allowed to rebuild structures to the same standard in the same location,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“What the betterment project does is enable local communities to put forward a solution that might cost a little more up front but will save us all paying for damage over and over again.

“Country roads are the lifeblood of rural communities and it’s vital we do everything we can to keep these access roads open during natural disasters,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“Not only will this save parents from taking a 10km detour just to get their kids to the bus stop, it will keep the freight route open so farmers on about 40 properties can get their livestock and produce to market.

“It will ease the financial hardship on farms in the Mondure district that are feeling the strain from repeatedly being cut off.”

South Burnett Regional Council will receive $181,926 in ‘betterment’ funding to build reinforced concrete pavements and protective concrete aprons at two locations along the Mondure Wheatlands Road.

The upgrade will be carried out under the $80 million ‘betterment’ program, a Newman Government initiative to give councils the chance to rebuild less damage-prone public infrastructure.

It is jointly funded by the State and Federal Governments, but falls well short of what is required.

“It’s my intention to achieve great value for money on this fund and end the madness of replacing like for like.”

[ENDS] 12 June 2013

Media Contacts:          Monica Rostron 0409 126 332; Andrew Longmire 0418 216 627