Bruce Highway funding remains firmly on the Federal Government’s radar with Member for Fairfax Ted O’Brien choosing the issue for his inaugural motion, delivered late yesterday in the Federation Chamber.
Federal Member for Fairfax Ted O’Brien called on the State Government to fast-track studies into upgrading the Bruce Highway and used his inaugural motion to highlight the issue at a federal level.
“There is no piece of infrastructure more critical to the life and productivity of the Sunshine Coast region than the Bruce Highway. What our region needs is a modern integrated transport solution – road, rail and air,” Mr O’Brien said.
He said more than $1 billion had been committed to create additional lanes between the Caloundra turnoff and the Sunshine Motorway and to upgrade the Maroochydore Road interchange “but it’s not enough”.
“That’s why my colleagues within the Sunshine Coast region in Fisher and Wide Bay together with me and also our colleagues further north and further south will continue to campaign for further upgrades to the Bruce Highway and we’ll be doing so as a unity ticket,” Mr O’Brien said.
He also called on the State Government to immediately fast track federal funded studies into Bruce Highway upgrades.
“First and foremost I’d reach out to any member of the opposition to make a phone call through to the Premier of Queensland and her colleagues and call for them to hurry up and get on with these studies for more lanes,” he said.
Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace also spoke in support of the Fairfax MPs private member’s motion.
“The people of the Sunshine Coast simply cannot wait nearly two years for the completion of a planning study, we need it fast tracked and we need it now,” Mr Wallace said.