Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise this evening to record my absolute disappointment upon discovering that this Rudd Labor government has completely ignored the Landsborough Highway. It is a national highway that runs through the Labor seat of Flynn and connects Kennedy and the seat of Maranoa. This Rudd Labor government has provided no funding for any major upgrades for the Landsborough Highway since coming to government three years ago. The forward estimates in the budget show that it is not intending to spend any money on this highway for at least five years, should it be re-elected.

The Landsborough Highway runs for 1,000 kilometres, from Morven in southern Queensland up to Cloncurry. It forms part of a long route between Brisbane and Darwin. It is that vital link for the agricultural livestock industry. It is a vital link for the defence forces, transporting from northern Australia to southern Australia. It is a popular route for tourists and grey nomads. It will also play a key role in the development of the Galilee coal basin, the project that will support up to 5,000 jobs—that is, of course, if the project does not get stalled by this Rudd Labor government’s super profits tax.

This is a road which will continue to play a vital role in transporting goods across the great expanse of Central Queensland and it is in desperate need of an upgrade. I drove the highway recently with my LNP colleague the Leader of the Nationals, Warren Truss. We crossed a bridge over the Barcoo River which is literally sagging, but it seems it is not a priority for this Rudd Labor government. Only a Liberal-National coalition government will put it back on the agenda. (Time expired)