Casualties revealed as Feds overhaul road and rail spend

Funding has been wiped from a planned north Queensland cattle route and the Cairns Western Arterial Road Duplication project placed on hold in a Federal Government pruning of infrastructure commitments. The Tennant Creek to Townsville corridor Dingo Park Rd intersection upgrade was among nine Queensland projects that will not receive federal funding after a review of the nation's Infrastructure Investment Program. Meanwhile projects including the Rockhampton Ring Road, Charters Towers industrial precinct access and Shute Harbour Road upgrades were among those earmarked for additional Federal Government funding. Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said change was necessary after the number of projects promised under the program swelled from about 150 projects in 2012-13 to almost 800 in 2022 under the former Coalition government. The overhaul also saw Ms King announce this week that the Commonwealth would return to a preference of 50:50 funding with the states and territories for future project investments. In addition to setting out transport projects to be dropped or topped up, the Federal Government has guaranteed $27 billion for a range of strategic freight and road safety corridor upgrades in regional Australia, including the Bruce Highway. The State Government was quick to condemn the cuts and delays to Queensland projects as a result of the nationwide review. "Our message to Catherine King: Treat Queensland more like Qantas and less like Qatar;" Treasurer Cameron Dick posted on X, in a swipe at the minister’s decision to reject extra Qatar Airways flights into Australia. State Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey this week railed against the Federal Government's move to walk away from the existing 80:20 funding split on regional infrastructure. "Queensland is Australia’s fastest growing, most decentralised state, with the largest road network," he said. "The economic contribution from regional Queensland through the resources sector alone is $27.5 billion annually. Seventy per cent of all resources jobs are in regional areas, and these regions rely on transport infrastructure for commerce, connectivity, access and productivity. "Any deviation from the currently agreed 80:20 funding split on non-urban corridors and 50:50 on urban corridors, will significantly disadvantage our regions which are amongst the most remote and road transport reliant in the country." Below: Lists of projects dropped, postponed and to be topped up as a result of a federal review of the Infrastructure Investment Program.

Casualties revealed as Feds overhaul road and rail spend

Industry Queensland

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