Media Release: Queensland Infrastructure Funding: The Truth

The Turnbull Government’s 2018-19 budget has committed $5.2 billion to new major projects in Queensland.

Queensland is the recipient of 30 per cent of Commonwealth infrastructure funding. The Turnbull Government is committed to reducing congestion for Queenslanders, making our roads safer, connecting people to jobs and getting our produce to market – that’s why we have a record $75 billion investment in infrastructure across Australia.

Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad’s comments today are not accurate.

The Turnbull Government’s commitment to Queensland in the 2018-19 budget includes a $1 billion boost to the M1 Pacific Highway between Eight Mile Plains and Daisy Hill, and Varsity Lakes and Tugun.

Ms Trad claims this funding won’t flow for years; last night’s budget shows that funding will start to flow for this commitment from 2018-19.

We want to see these upgrades rolled out from 2020, when our existing upgrades to the M1 – the Gateway Merge and Mudgeeraba to Varsity Lakes – are scheduled for completion.

Ms Trad’s colleague Mark Bailey, Minister for Main Roads, agreed with us, telling a press conference on April 18:

We both agree… the best way to do the third and fourth M1 upgrades will be straight after we finish the first and second upgrades... That way, you have the minimum disruption to M1 motorists, we’ve got a pipeline of jobs coming through; that is the logical way of doing it.”

The Turnbull Government’s announcement was so good, Bill Shorten copied it a few days later, also announcing $1 billion based on a 50:50 split.

So far, the Queensland Government has failed to commit to these upgrades and so far is refusing to match the Turnbull Government’s commitment.

We want the Queensland Government to get on with the job and work with us to deliver these vital upgrades.