Hinchinbrook MP, Andrew Cripps, has welcomed news of accelerated works coming forward on the Bruce Highway in his electorate, but says the projects and the funding announced by the Palaszczuk Government’s Working Queensland Cabinet Committee, are not new.

Mr Cripps said the Arnot Creek Bridge upgrade, the Masters Road to Larsens Road upgrade and the Veales Road to Pope Road upgrade, all on the Bruce Highway north of Townsville, had been lifted directly from the most recent QTRIP program* for DTMR’s Northern region.

“There is nothing wrong with these projects and it’s a good thing they are being brought forward, but two of them (Arnot Creek Bridge and Veales Road to Pope Road) where due to start this financial year anyway (2015-16) and none of them are new projects” said Mr Cripps.

“What’s more, the funding for all three of these projects was already in the budget and forward estimates, so once again, while the Palaszczuk Government might be bringing existing funding forward, so far there has been no new funding or new projects announced” he said.

“The Accelerated Work Program being pursued by the Palaszczuk Government in response to the redundancies and the voluntary administration announcement at the Yabulu Nickel Refinery is welcome, but these are not new projects and importantly, it’s not new funding”.

Mr Cripps said he had announced funding to progress the planning and design work for the Arnot Creek Bridge upgrade project in January 2015 and the Commonwealth Government had confirmed the funds for construction to replace the bridge in last years’ federal budget.

*https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/6304f8ce-0423-4059-81f3-15cdc716f36e/resource/c31474a9-88a9-4676-97d6-205ae644d801/download/14qtrip201516to201819northerndistrictprofile.pdf