Main tender on Mackay Ring Road announced
WE reached a major milestone in the Mackay Ring Road Stage 1 project today with the announcement that CPB Contractors have won the major tender.This project will remove heavy vehicles from the Mackay CBD and residential areas by providing a bypass for all vehicles without a destination in Mackay.This is a massive project for the region – we’re going to see 13 new bridges being built as part of it - and I believe an average of 534 jobs will be supported during construction of the bypass.We need jobs, jobs, jobs in this region and I have already had discussions with CPB and heard firsthand that they're very keen to engage the local suppliers, subcontractors and workers in Mackay.They have said that it is naturally more efficient for them to source supplies where they can up here in this region rather than elsewhere.CPB will also be advertising for expressions of interest in due course for locals interested in being involved in the project.This is a very big infrastructure project for our region and we can look forward to seeing the flow-on effects of business dollars and job opportunities for a number of years.
Investing in Dawson
THE Dawson electorate will benefit from a significant infrastructure boost in the 2016-17 financial year, with $43.6 million allocated for specific projects in the region, and that's in addition to any Federal funding which will flow for the $448 million we will invest into the Mackay Ring Road.The electorate will also receive its fair share of a further $6.4 billion across a range of infrastructure initiatives, including the $5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.This demonstrates the Liberal National Government’s commitment to regional communities, outlined in last night’s Federal Budget.The funding is about boosting connectivity, building critical infrastructure, supporting innovation and fostering local leadership to support regional communities in Dawson.
Bill should tell Labor buddies to get moving on the Haughton
THE ability to progress work on some Bruce Highway projects rests entirely in Labor’s hands, and the best thing Bill Shorten could do for the Bruce Highway is to tell his counterparts in the State Labor Government to pull their finger out.I believe Mr Shorten has been making announcements regarding Labor's plans for the Bruce Highway in Townsville today, and he should ask his counterparts in the Palaszczuk government ‘why is Labor holding up the Haughton River Bridge Replacement?’The replacement of this bridge has been voted the most urgent problem to be fixed on that stretch of the Bruce Highway between Mackay and Townsville.
Need to fast-track Haughton bridge replacement
THE BURDEKIN has been left out in the cold yet again by the State Labor Government due to their failure to bring forward work on the Haughton River Bridge replacement.We have had a fanfare about a State Infrastructure Plan from the Palaszczuk Government and there’s even $20,000 million for fast-tracked planning, but the Haughton River bridge replacement is not going to get a look in before 2019.The replacement of this bridge has been voted the most urgent problem to be fixed on that stretch of the Bruce Highway between Mackay and Townsville.But does that mean the State Labor Government will fast-track the long and drawn-out planning and design process to replace this unsafe bridge?
Roads contract means jobs for Mackay
Mackay company Vassallo Constructions has won the $3 million contract to construct an overtaking lane near Thomsetts Road, south of Proserpine, and this means jobs for Mackay workers.I want to congratulate this Mackay business run by Vic Vassallo, on winning the tender on this project which has been brought forward by a year by the Liberal National Coalition Government to provide work when it is desperately needed.Despite false claims by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk that the project was part of Labor’s so-called ‘accelerated works program’ this project is not only fully funded by the Federal Coalition Government; we brought it forward by a year to support jobs in the region.
Time for Premier to walk the walk
THE Queensland Premier’s talk of fast-tracking infrastructure projects in North Queensland is an absolute joke when two of the biggest job-creating projects, namely the Mackay Ring Road and the Haughton River Bridge replacement, are lost in a bureaucratic bog.We need more than rubbish talk from Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on fast-tracking these big projects, because the blame for holding up hundreds of jobs lies squarely with the State Labor Government.The Federal Government had already committed to fast-tracking funding for these infrastructure projects at my insistence; that promise was secured back in September 2014 from then Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
Roadworks bring jobs to region
WORK started today on construction of two new overtaking lanes on the Bruce Highway between Proserpine and Mackay, bringing more jobs to the region and boosting the local economy.The project will result in a southbound overtaking lane at Kitty Creek, 10km north of Kuttabul, and a northbound overtaking lane at Carey’s Creek, 7km south of Calen.The Liberal National Government’s commitment to fully fund these works will improve safety and efficiency on this stretch of the Bruce Highway – all part of the Government’s 10 year commitment to the Bruce Highway.
Construction starts on $45 million Yellow Gin Creek upgrade
CONSTRUCTION is now underway on a $45 million project to help floodproof the Bruce Highway at Yellow Gin Creek, south of Ayr.This morning I turned the sod on this project, which will replace the existing floodway with a two-lane, two-way bridge and wider, higher road approaches.The works will include an upgrade of the intersection at Beachmount Road, which provides access to the small coastal settlement of Wunjunga.
Sandy Gully Bridge upgrade reaches new phase
Aurecon Australasia has been selected to commence the detailed design phase of the $57 million Sandy Gully Bridge upgrade project at Bowen.This particular section of the Bruce Highway is regularly closed during bad weather, which has a serious effect on locals, tourists and heavy vehicles travelling through the region.That includes freight operators shifting coal and agricultural produce to domestic and international markets, many of which are reliant on timeliness to remain competitive.