The peak body for local government in Queensland has expressed hopes that the federal government’s commitment to pick up 80% of the $9-billion tab to upgrade the Bruce Highway will see the Commonwealth reverse its road-funding arrangements.
Last year, the Albanese Government succeeded in shifting the financial burden for road funding projects from an 80:20 split – 80% paid by the Commonwealth, 20% by local governments – to a 50:50 share of the cost.
“Roads across Queensland need funding, and an end to the 50:50 Canberra cost-shift that the current government adopted last year,” said Local Government Association of Queensland chief executive officer Alison Smith.
While welcoming the federal government’s investment, Smith said more funding was needed for road improvements across the state.
“While no one would deny the importance of the Bruce Highway or of the funding announced so far, Queensland is the most decentralised state with thousands of kilometres of roads and other transport infrastructure that communities rely on and deserve further funding and upgrades.”
The federal government’s Bruce Highway announcement on Monday follows a wide-spread public campaign involving councils and communities for the Commonwealth to contribute more to road funding.
“The LGAQ and mayors were among the first to publicly urge the federal government to reverse their decision to make Queenslanders pay more for safe roads, joining the coalition of industry and community as well as face-to-face meetings in Canberra,” said LGAQ president and Gladstone Regional Council mayor Matt Burnett.
“As the level of government closest to our communities, councils know all too well the devastating impact every serious road injury and death has,” he added.
Queensland’s Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg also welcomed the return of the long-standing 80:20 funding model for critical transport infrastructure.
“Since forming government, we have been calling for Queensland’s fair share of funding from the federal government at every opportunity. Queensland deserves better than a second-class highway and that is why we are focused on delivering a safer and more reliable Bruce,” said Mickelberg. “The return to an 80:20 funding split is a welcomed commitment from the federal government to enable our delivery of a safer Bruce. This is a win for Queensland.”
Discussing the federal government’s investment in the 1,673 kilometre-stretch of bitumen – which runs from Brisbane to Cairns – Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the work a priority: “It’s a dangerous piece of highway and it needs upgrading,” he said.
Indeed, the Bruce Highway – which was built in stages over many years, with the first section opening in 1934 – has an average fatal and serious injury crash rate three-to-five times higher than any major highway in New South Wales and Victoria.
“That’s why we’re singling out this highway above all others to receive 80% funding rather than the 50% that is standard,” said Albanese.
The work – which will cost the federal government $7.2bn and achieve a three out of five-star safety rating for the highway – will include the installing of safety barriers, incorporating tactile line markings, restoring weather-damaged sections of road, widening hard shoulders, and increasing the number of rest areas.
Supporting around 62% of Queensland’s population, the Bruce Highway connects Brisbane to the key regional centres of Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns.
“As a Queenslander, I know how important the Bruce is to our state, from the south-east corner to the tropical far north and everywhere in between,” said federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers. “This is all about transporting people, goods and opportunities and linking and strengthening local communities and economies right around regional Queensland.”
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