Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Bruce Highway is indeed the very backbone of our growing region of the Sunshine Coast.

Families, farmers small businesses owners and students all rely on the Bruce as the one and only direct link between the coast and Brisbane. The Turnbull coalition government believes in the Bruce Highway and understands its importance to the Sunshine Coast and to all Queenslanders. In fact, the coalition has already provided $6.7 billion for the Bruce Highway, and it makes me proud that I am part of a government that is committed to fixing this most vital infrastructure lifeline.

Let me give you an example of our steadfast commitment. On 16 September we announced the successful tender for the long-awaited upgrade to a section of the Bruce Highway vital to the Sunshine Coast, the stretch between Caloundra Road interchange and the Sunshine Motorway. This $929.3 million project funded, 80 per cent by the federal government, involves widening the highway to six lanes, as well as a major upgrade to the Sunshine Motorway interchange and reconfiguring the Caloundra Road interchange.

This section is used by around 60,000 vehicles each day, travelling north and south between Brisbane and Gympie, and east and west between the coast and the Hinterland. This upgrade has been a long time coming and is the result of many years of lobbying by the coast's federal and state LNP members. Indeed, it is a great win for the tens of thousands of local motorists who rely on this section of the Bruce Highway every day to get to work, operate their business or simply get the kids to school.

As the member for Fisher the vast majority of people in my electorate will directly benefit from this upgrade through reduced congestion, better safety measures and improved travel times. However, now that we are in the process of delivering this vital piece of infrastructure for the Sunshine Coast, we cannot rest on our laurels. To the contrary, my local LNP colleagues, the member for Fairfax and the member for Wide Bay, are now more determined than ever to supercharge our 'Boost the Bruce' campaign and ensure work to widen the highway between the Sunshine Coast and Caboolture from four lanes to six, including flood proofing the highway between Caboolture and Steve Irwin Way, and that begins as soon as possible.

Let me assure you this is not a pie-in-the-sky dream; this is a serious goal that must be realised, because the people of the Sunshine Coast cannot wait any longer. In fact, an upgrade of this scale is long overdue. The almost daily accidents and Sydney-like traffic jams are testament to that. To this end, the Bruce Highway planning study was announced on 3 July 2015, following a $6.4 million contribution from the federal government and $1.6 million from the state. Again, we put up the bulk of the money because we believe in the Bruce Highway and know only too well that the Bruce is the Sunshine Coast's most vital transport artery. To date, our calls for the Queensland government to fast-track the planning study have fallen on deaf ears. In response to a question on notice from LNP main roads spokesperson, Andrew Powell, earlier this year, the Queensland government advised the planning study is not due to be released until mid-2018.

The Sunshine Coast is one of the fastest-growing regions in Australia. It is an area blessed with smart people with great ideas and business acumen. The coast is growing as a hotbed for innovation and start-up companies. Our farmers and fishers are responsible for delivering some of the best quality produce money can buy. The people of the Sunshine Coast simply cannot wait nearly another two years for the completion of a planning study. We need it fast tracked and we need it now. I do not think any fair-minded person would think it is unreasonable to insist that the study be completed by the middle of next year. By doing so, we can allocate funding and get the machinery rolling to deliver this most vital project, one that we on the Sunshine Coast believe is a project of national importance, essential to our future prosperity.

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