A Shorten Labor Government will invest $280 million to deliver the second stage of the Mackay Ring Road, a vital piece of infrastructure that will support the region’s on-going economic development.

Also known as the Mackay Port Access Road, this next stage of the Ring Road will connect the Bruce Highway north of Mackay at Glenella to Harbour Road via an 8.2 kilometre corridor south of the rail line.  It will provide direct access to the Port as well as the Paget Industrial Area and the resource developments occurring in the Bowen Basin.
 
Given the volume of trucks travelling to and from the Port is expected to double by 2031, it is vital that the full Ring Road be completed as soon as possible, otherwise congestion on Mackay’s local streets will significantly worsen.
 
The case for this project is made even stronger by predictions that the City’s population will growth by almost a third to 155,000 by 2031.
 
This is a transformative project will support 418 direct local jobs during its delivery.
 
Importantly, we are able to make this commitment today because of the planning work undertaken by the former Federal Labor Government.  Indeed, when we were last in office we invested $10 million to identified the preferred route and develop a detailed business case.
 
And upon the completion of that work in 2013, it was the former Federal Labor Government that first provided the funding for delivery of Stage 1 as part of its 10 year Bruce Highway Upgrade Program.
 
Unfortunately, following the change of government later that year progress slowed significantly and construction work did not begin until 2017, which is an indictment on the performance of the current LNP MP for Dawson, George Christensen.
 
This commitment to the Mackay Ring Road (Stage 2) follows yesterday’s announcement that a Shorten Labor Government will invest $800 million to deliver the Rockhampton Ring Road.
 
Only Federal Labor has a plan to build the infrastructure that will make North and Central Queensland an even better place to live, raise a family and start a business.  We will deliver real money for real projects that will make a real difference.
 
By contrast, figures released by its own Infrastructure Department confirm that the Morrison LNP Government will slash Federal investment in the Bruce Highway over the next three years by $700 million if it wins the coming election.
 
When it comes to the Bruce, the LNP’s record is one of cuts and broken promises.
 
Federal Labor’s commitment to the Mackay Ring Road (Stage 2) builds on our strong track record of delivering for the region. In particular, it was the former Federal Labor Government that upgraded the Bruce Highway through Mackay’s southern suburbs, a $50 million project which has eased localised congestion and delivered smoother, safer driving conditions.

WEDNESDAY, 23 JANUARY 2019