Napranum receives vital road upgrade

Published Monday, 26 May, 2014 at 10:37 AM

Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Jeff Seeney

Napranum will be better connected to the rest of western Cape York through a road upgrade being funded by the Queensland Government’s $495 million Royalties for the Regions program.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said the $1.48 million project will widen and upgrade the almost two kilometre road linking Napranum township to the Peninsula Development Road and Weipa.

“The Queensland Government has a strong plan for regional Queensland’s future and we are building on Napranum’s strengths through the Royalties for the Regions program,” Mr Seeney said.

“This project will improve economic development opportunities for the Napranum community by providing a better road to service the new Napranum Industrial Estate.
 
“It will also reduce flood impacts on the road and improve its standard to the benefit of the whole community. 

“We promised to deliver better infrastructure and better planning and the Royalties for the Regions program is providing just that to the Napranum community.

“In contrast, Labor ignored the regions and still has no plan to improve funding and provide the necessary infrastructure.

“The road upgrade will be jointly funded by the Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council contributing $77,000 and our government - $1.4 million through Round 3 of the Royalties for the Regions program.”

Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor Philemon Mene thanked the Queensland Government for its support and said the road upgrade would help the township achieve its vision of growth and economic development.

“It’s great to see government working with small communities like ours that will bring many benefits to us now and into the future,” Mr Mene said.

Mr Seeney said through Royalties for the Regions, more than 39 regional councils have received more than $250 million, delivering more than 235 kilometres of road upgrades, community infrastructure and flood mitigation projects.

“We have delivered more than $6 million for far north Queensland through Round 3 of Royalties for the Regions: $3.5 million to Cook Shire Council to revitalise its esplanade; $1 million to Carpentaria Shire Council for a new swimming pool complex; $440,000 to Tablelands Regional Council for a road upgrade and more than $1 million to Napranum,” he said.

[ENDS] 26 May 2014

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