Over the next twelve months the Federal Labor Government’s ambitious capital works program will continue unabated, with the 2012-13 Budget delivering a further instalment of $879.3 million in funding to start, progress and complete a range of projects across Queensland.
All up, we are providing an unprecedented $8.7 billion from our six-year Nation Building Program (2008-09 to 2013-14) to rebuild and renew the State’s road, rail and public transport infrastructure.  Already, Labor has more than doubled annual infrastructure spending from $143 to $314 per Queenslander.
As a result of this record funding, the following major projects will go from the drawing board to construction in the coming financial year:

• Construction of the new Moreton Bay Rail Link between Petrie and Kippa-Ring, a project first mooted more than a century ago in 1895.
  – Federal contribution: $742.0 million.

• Construction of a new interchange at the intersection between the Bruce and Dawson Highways, the Calliope Crossroads near Gladstone.
  – Federal contribution: $150.0 million.

• Straightening and raising the Bruce Highway between Sandy Corner and Collinsons Lagoon.
  – Federal contribution: $50.0 million.

• Straightening and widening the Bruce Highway from Cabbage Tree Creek to Carman Road, and across Back Creek Range.
  – Federal contribution: $100.0 million.

• Straightening and extending the southbound on-ramp from the Gateway Motorway to the Pacific Motorway and widening Mt Gravatt-Capalaba Road between Broadwater and Gardner Roads.
  – Federal contribution: $70.0 million.

• Straightening the Bruce Highway just south of Gin Gin and upgrading the intersection with the Bundaberg-Gin Gin Road.
  – Federal contribution: $20.0 million.

• Building a new interchange along the Warrego Highway at Blacksoil.
  – Federal contribution (Regional Infrastructure Fund): $54.0 million.

• Installation of the latest freeway management technology along the Gateway Motorway North from Nudgee to the Bruce Highway, including mounted variable speed limits, ramp signalling, travel time signs and variable message signs.
  – Federal contribution (National Smart Managed Motorways Program): up to $18.0 million.

At the other end of the construction cycle, we expect to complete work on the following projects by the end of June next year:

• Widening of the Ipswich Motorway between Dinmore and Goodna from four to six lanes, Queensland’s largest ever Federally-funded road project.
  – Federal contribution: $1.8 billion.

• Construction of Townsville’s new Port Access Road.
  – Federal contribution: $95.0 million.

• Flattening and straightening the Bruce Highway over the Cardwell Range.
  – Federal contribution: $90.0 million.

• Duplication and upgrade of the Bruce Highway between Sankeys and Traveston Roads (Cooroy to Curra Section B).
  – Federal contribution: $388.0 million.

• Redesign and upgrade of the Pacific Motorway interchange at Robina.
  – Federal contribution: $17.0 million.

• Construction of a new concrete bridge over Cape York’s Bloomfield River on the Bloomfield Road.
  – Federal contribution: $2.8 million.

• Sealing a 7 kilometre section of the Kowanyama Access Road and a 15 kilometre section of the Peninsula Developmental Road on Cape York.
  – Federal contribution: $15.8 million.

• Projects associated with the Burdekin Road Safety Audit including the upgrade of intersections along Edward Street in Ayr between Queen Street and Jones Street.
  – Federal Contribution: $16.8 million.

• Construction of a new general cargo wharf at the Port of Townsville, part of the upgrade to Berth 10.
  – Federal contribution: $4.0 million.

• Construction of a new truck bypass of Cloncurry.
  – Federal contribution: $8.2 million.

As part of our unprecedented $7.3 billion nationwide investment in urban public transport projects, work will also continue on the construction of the Gold Coast’s Rapid Transit Network (Federal contribution: $365.0 million).
The 2012-13 Budget maintains funding for a range of initiatives which will help make our local roads better and safer:

• $12.1 million to eliminate another 40 dangerous black spots on local roads;


• $167.8 million to assist councils across the State to maintain and upgrade their local roads.

From the outset Federal Labor’s mission has been to reverse the neglect we inherited and invest in the modern, well-planned infrastructure that will make working people’s lives easier, our businesses more competitive and the national economy stronger, not just for the next five years but for the next five decades.
Across the length and breadth of Queensland that’s precisely what we are doing.  From Cape York in the north to the Gold Coast in south we’re setting the State up for the future with good infrastructure which will stand the test of time.
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