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.
On road to progress
Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss joined me to inspect progress on the $13.8 million Showgrounds intersection upgrade in Mackay today.This is one of many safety related projects included in the $241.8 million Bruce Highway – Black Spots programme, and it's another significant improvement which is nearing completion.“The Bruce Highway forms a key transport link along the east coast of Australia, connecting small towns with major cities, as well as suppliers with domestic and international markets,” Mr Truss said.
Budget measures good for jobs & families
Families will find measures to make life easier, businesses will reap a tax cut and jobs will be created after the Liberal National Government’s Budget is handed down tomorrow.This Budget is about building jobs, growth and opportunities while still charting a path to debt reduction.A new Child Care Subsidy will be introduced from July 2017 which will mean families with incomes of between $65,000 and $170,000 will be around $30 a week better off.
A safer Bruce Highway around Townsville
COMPLETION of the $137.5 million upgrade to Townsville's stretch of the Bruce Highway is one step closer, with an overpass of the North Coast Rail Line at Cluden officially opened today.I joined Federal Member for Herbert Ewen Jones and State Member for Thuringowa Aaron Harper at Cluden to celebrate this major infrastructure milestone, which was opened to traffic last week.Being four lanes, this will improve driver safety and traffic flow by eliminating the existing level crossing at Cluden.In another major milestone for the project, the new southbound Stuart Creek Bridge has also been opened to traffic and work is almost complete on the Hunter Street intersection upgrade.