Lucas Challenges Canberra to rule out North Qld Road Funding Cuts

Queensland has challenged Canberra to immediately come clean on whether roads in North Queensland face funding cuts following threats by Federal Roads Minister Jim Lloyd today.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads Paul Lucas said North Queensland motorists would be astounded by Mr Lloyd’s threats to cut funding for road projects in the state.

“Canberra spends nowhere near enough on roads in North Queensland as it is,” Mr Lucas said.

“And Federal Roads Minister Jim Lloyd has come to Brisbane to threaten road funding cuts to projects around the state.

“North Queenslanders have pumped more than $2 billion in fuel tax into Canberra’s coffers since the Federal Government came to power but have seen little of that spent in return.

“Now Mr Lloyd is threatening to spend even less in North Queensland.

“The Federal Government should immediately rule out cuts to vital works in North Queensland, especially on the Bruce Highway.”

Mr Lucas said he was astounded the Federal Government was claiming potential cost increases in an Ipswich Motorway project put other road projects at risk.

“Canberra is simply using its delays in upgrading the Ipswich Motorway to blame Queensland for increases in work to the Wacol to Darra project.”

Estimates from Main Roads indicate the project would cost around $585 million in current dollars. Mr Lucas said there were three main reasons costs relating to the Wacol to Darra project had increased:

• Canberra’s decision in March to build the Goodna Bypass didn’t include proper connections to this project, which meant Main Roads had to go back to the drawing board.
• A decision by the State Government to build the Darra to Springfield rail line which would add between $80 million to $100 million to the project’s cost. The State Government will foot the bill for this.
• Around $50 million in property acquisition costs for the project that Canberra is trying to cost shift to Queensland taxpayers.

“I make no apologies whatsoever for the cost of this project going up because we’re building a major new rail line that will impact on it,” Mr Lucas said.

“Actually, I’m proud of it. And we’ve told Canberra we’ll pay that cost. And Queensland taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill because Canberra refuses to cough up property acquisition costs – a legitimate cost on any road project.

“It’s outrageous Canberra is threatening to cut road projects because their $2.8 billion Goodna Bypass is causing disruption to planned works. The money left over if that project was ditched and spent on upgrading the existing motorway instead would make a massive dent in the work needed on the Bruce Highway in North Queensland.”

Mr Lucas said Queensland had told the Federal Government about potential cost increases two months ago as part of its AusLink 2 submission.

“This shouldn’t be a surprise to Mr Lloyd unless he only just got around to reading the submission.”

Mr Lucas said Queenslanders should compare the Federal Government’s approach with that of the Federal Opposition, which earlier this week announced a $40 million boost to road funding in North Queensland.

“Federal Labor came to Queensland and brought national highway solutions for North Queensland. Jim Lloyd comes to Queensland and brings threats and roadblocks. Who knows which projects will be spared Canberra’s boning knife,” Mr Lucas said.

“They’ve already reduced maintenance funding for Queensland’s national highway network by $3 million a year – now Mr Lloyd’s lining up bigger targets. Queensland deserves a Federal Government that is in the business of building, not bickering.”

Mr Lucas challenged Mr Lloyd to release full details of the Goodna Bypass project, including information that explains why the bypass is being built when 70% of traffic at the eastern end will simply get back on the Ipswich Motorway, rather than go on to Logan Motorway.

“It’s no different from how traffic moves between the Ipswich and Logan motorways now. It’s a $2.8 billion bypass to nowhere.

“This is another example of a tired government that doesn’t have any solutions.”