Scrap dam and save lives
5th December, 2008
State and Federal Labor Governments must not be allowed to hide behind delays to the proposed Traveston Crossing dam as an excuse to do nothing about upgrading the Bruce Highway, Federal Member for Wide Bay and Shadow Transport Minister, Warren Truss has warned.Queensland Main Roads Minister, Warren Pitt, has indicated that the delay to the proposed Traveston Crossing dam will delay upgrades to the Cooroy to Curra stretch of the Bruce Highway.
“Recent statements by Queensland Main Roads Minister, Warren Pitt suggest that he is confused about the two projects involving the Highway between Cooroy and Curra.
“One project is the realignment, that will only be required if the dam proceeds. The other is the planned Gympie bypass from Cooroy to Curra,” Mr Truss said.
“The Gympie bypass itself has nothing to do with the dam and the only obstacle in the way of starting the project is Labor’s unwillingness to fund it.”
The Federal Labor Government has confirmed it will not spend any money on the Cooroy to Curra Gympie bypass project until after 2009-10. After Labor shaved $500 million from the former Coalition Government’s allocation to the upgrade, only $200 million will be spent over the period 2009-10 to 2013-14.
The Queensland Labor Government has not sought any funding for the Bruce Highway from Cooroy to Curra in its submission to the COAG National Infrastructure Audit. The Highway has been identified as Project 18 in Queensland’s submission for funding from the Building Australia Fund but the submission says the Highway is ‘Funded Substantially (All or Most Stages) Already, No Additional Funding Sought’.
“The Queensland Government is determined to do as little as possible to improve safety along the Highway, as its preference is to flood the road with the dam.
“If the Queensland Labor Government scrapped its Traveston Crossing dam proposal, the sole focus could be on making the existing route safer and building the bypass,” Mr Truss said.
“Just as the RACQ has pointed out, the dangerous Cooroy to Curra stretch of the Bruce Highway is one of the worst ‘killer highways’ in Queensland. Yet the State and Federal Governments lack the commitment to make this a high priority project.
“This is another demonstration that in spite of all the Government’s rhetoric about wanting to be nation builders, Labor is more interested in hollow spin than investing in infrastructure that delivers real and lasting benefits."
“It is vital that the bypass project is brought forward. Any delay to upgrading the road could have tragic consequences,” Mr Truss said.
