NORTH QUEENSLAND LOSES OUT TO NSW IN ROAD FUNDING

NSW is again getting the lion’s share of road funding with Prime Minister John Howard today announcing that the Pacific Highway will get $400 million more in funding than the Bruce Highway, Craig Wallace said today.

Mr Wallace, who is Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland, said while John Howard had announced $2 billion for the Bruce Highway in Queensland, the Pacific Highway in NSW was getting $2.4 billion.

This is despite the fact the Pacific Highway is half the length of the Bruce Highway.

Only $800 million of the $2 billion for the Bruce Highway, to be delivered between 2009/10 and 2013/14, is earmarked for Sarina to Cairns.

“While the Pacific Highway needs upgrading, so does the Bruce Highway and it has needed upgrading for longer,” Mr Wallace said.

“The Pacific Highway is getting funding for more dual carriageway and blackspots but North Queensland is still needs more works to reduce flooding on the Bruce Highway,” he said.

“I am sure NSW people would not have to wait so long for funding if the Pacific Highway was regularly cut by floods.”

He said a taskforce of northern region mayors had prepared a list of $2 billion worth of roadworks needed on the Bruce Highway in North Queensland and submitted the list to Peter Lindsay and the Howard Government.

“The $2 billion we needed unfortunately has evaporated into only $800 million,” Mr Wallace said.

He said North Queensland would continue to lobby for further road funding.

Mr Wallace said NSW Federal Members of Parliament had got a better deal for the Pacific Highway than the Member for Herbert, Peter Lindsay, and his colleagues had got for the Bruce Highway.

“Unfortunately Peter Lindsay continues to be Canberra’s representative in Townsville rather than Townsville’s representative in Canberra,” Mr Wallace said.

Media inquiries: Paul Childs, Craig Wallace’s office, on 0407 131 654.