Federal roads commitment ‘long overdue’

The Queensland Government welcomes the funding announced today by the Federal Government because this sort of allocation is long overdue, Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said today.

But he emphasised that it would be wrong to think that Queensland had struck it rich, or was being smiled upon by Canberra.

“There is not one extra dollar coming to Queensland that our state is not fully entitled to receive,” Mr Pitt said.

“This money has been previously announced and was sitting there waiting to be allocated to Queensland.

“The Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile admitted on radio today that this announcement is simply recycling the funds announced at the time of the Federal Budget in May for the AusLink 2 scheme.

“It is also the same $2 billion that was trumpeted in newspaper headlines last Friday.

“How many times are they going to announce this funding?

“The Federal Government will no doubt believe that we should feel enormously grateful for this funding for the Bruce Highway.

“But Queenslanders should not, for a minute, think that we have hit the jackpot.

“This is money that this state’s road system has needed for a long time, but we have had to endure 11 years of neglect under the Howard Government.

“I am also keen to see if there are further details about exactly on what projects it is proposed this money will be spent, what the timeframes are, and whether there are any strings attached.

“It is important that the Queensland and Commonwealth governments sit down and work together to develop the program of works and the details of the actual projects which are going to be funded”.

Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819