In the lead-up to the 2017-18 state budget, Hinchinbrook MP, Andrew Cripps, has called on the Palaszczuk Government to deliver a project it promised to the Cardwell community two years ago.

Mr Cripps said Curtis Pitt would soon hand down his third budget and it would be interesting to see which hollow logs and biscuit tins the Treasurer would raid to prop up Labor’s spending habits.

“However, before Labor makes any new promises in its third budget, I would like the Palaszczuk Government to actually deliver things it promised in its first budget two years ago” said Mr Cripps.

“In July 2015, I wrote to the then Transport Minister, Jackie Trad, asking for the north coast rail line crossings on Liverpool Street and Brasenose Street in Cardwell to be upgraded” he said.

“I was pleased to receive a response advising that Queensland Rail had gained funding in the 2015-16 capital plan to upgrade the level crossings on Liverpool Street and Brasenose Street”.

“We waited for these upgrades to happen, but after 12 months of waiting and after the 2015-16 financial year came and went, in September 2016, I tabled a written question on notice”.

By this time the Transport Minister was Stirling Hinchliffe and he confirmed that a contract to upgrade the two rail crossings in Cardwell had apparently been awarded in June 2016”.

“Minister Hinchliffe advised that the upgrade would be completed in the first half of 2017 – so we waited again, but now we are at the end of May 2017 and absolutely nothing has happened”. “Whomever secured the contract to deliver this project nearly 12 months ago will need to work extremely quickly to complete the job by the end of next month to meet their obligations”.

“So before Labor gets carried away with its third budget, on behalf of the people of Cardwell, I would like to ask them to deliver the things they promised in their first budget, but haven’t”.

Mr Cripps said the transport portfolio was now back in the hands of Minister Trad, who had originally promised the Liverpool and Brasenose Street rail crossing upgrades in the 2015-16.