Media Statements

The Newman LNP Government is wasting no time backing its commitment to fix the Bruce Highway.

Premier Campbell Newman today announced the membership of the Bruce Highway Crisis Management Group, bringing together state and federal representatives, motoring groups and local authorities to act as one for a concerted and relentless campaign to upgrade the Bruce Highway.

“The LNP team committed to making safety and flood immunity the fundamental priorities of our 10 year Crisis Action Plan for the Bruce Highway,” Mr Newman said.

“We have already committed $1 billion of state funds for the Bruce Highway on the condition the Federal Government urgently brings forward expenditure to fix this link within 10 years, so now they need to step up to the plate.”

The Government’s Bruce Highway Crisis Management Group members include:

·Mr Geoff Leddy, Chairman, RACQ

·Ms Roz Shaw, CEO, Hawkins Road Transport Pty Ltd and Vice-President of the Queensland Trucking Association

·Chief Superintendent Bob Gee, State Traffic Support Branch, Operations Support Command, Queensland Police Service

·The Hon. Warren Truss MP, Leader of the National Party, Member for Wide Bay

·The Hon. Warren Entsch MP, Member for Leichhardt

·Ewen Jones MP, Member for Herbert

·The Hon. Jeff Seeney MP, Deputy Premier of Queensland, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning

·The Hon. Scott Emerson MP, Minister for Transport and Main Roads

·The Hon. David Crisafulli MP, Minister for Local Government

The Premier said that three Local Government representatives would be added to complement the group, once the outcome of the April 28 Council elections was known.

“The Crisis Management Group will be charged with taking our priority list of shovel ready, engineered projects to Canberra to fight for the funds we need to fix Queensland’s major transport artery within ten years,” Mr Newman said.

“The Crisis Action Group will be backed by a Department of Transport and Main Roads Technical Advisory Group, bringing together key experts to support the development of the Bruce Highway program, by reviewing and advising on technical data and issues to ensure key projects are brought up to shovel ready status within set timeframes.

“Twenty years of Labor failed to deliver the Bruce Highway action that our State deserves. Labor failed to fight for the federal funding that Queensland so desperately needs.

“Much needed work on the Bruce Highway includes not only flood immunity works, but increased overtaking lanes, more rest areas, better road safety and duplication projects.”

The RACQ recently found around 60 per cent of deaths on Queensland’s National Highways occurred on the Bruce Highway.”

Peak motoring body RACQ estimates without urgent action 350 people will die on the Bruce Highway in the next 10 years and more than 5,000 will be injured.

“The Bruce Highway has also failed to be a reliable link during natural disasters and periods of rain," Mr Newman said.

“This was brought into stark focus during last summer’s wet season when the highway was cut many times in many places for unacceptable periods of time.”

The LNP is leading the campaign to call for an all-out effort to get Federal Government funds for the upgrading of the state’s main National Highway.

As a priority the Government will task the Department of Main Roads to compile a proper engineering based 10-year ‘Crisis Action Plan’ to address the Bruce Highway crisis.

“This ‘Crisis Action Plan’ will be completed within the first six months of the LNP Government,” Mr Newman said.

[ENDS] 19 April 2012

Media Contact: Kylie Jacobson 0419 850 223