The 2013–14 Budget not only continues the rollout of the Federal Labor Government’s current multi-billion dollar capital works program, it also begins identifying the major projects to be funded as part of the next Nation Building Program, which will commence in July 2014.
We are both building and planning for Queensland’s future.
Accordingly, after consulting with the State Government and Infrastructure Australia, we are now in a position to release a preliminary schedule of new projects to be funded and delivered over the five year life of our next Nation Building Program (2014-15 to 2018-19).
They are:

• Brisbane Cross River Rail: Construction of approx. 9.8 kilometres of new underground tunnel from Yeerongpilly Station through to Victoria Park, including four new underground stations that will help increase capacity on the Brisbane Rail Network.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $715.0 million¹ (includes $100.0 million in 2012-13).
  
  
  
  


• Gateway Upgrade North: Upgrade of the Gateway North between Nudgee Road and Barrett St northbound, and Depot Road southbound including widening from four to six lanes. This is in addition to the $125 million already invested in this road, which included the construction of an additional 2.5 kilometre northbound lane between Sandgate Road and Barrett Street.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $718.0 million (conditional on no new tolls being imposed).
  
  
  
  


• Ipswich Motorway: Widen the Ipswich Motorway between Rocklea to Darra from two to three lanes in both directions between Oxley Road and Suscatand Street. Upgrade the northern service road across Oxley Creek and introduce smarter motorway treatments for the entire section.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $279.0 million.
  
  
  
  


• Bruce Highway Package: A dedicated package of work to improve safety and productivity as well as reduce travel times and improve flood immunity.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $4.1 billion over ten years.
  
  
  
  


• Warrego Highway Upgrades: Package of works between Toowoomba and Miles which will improve safety, capacity and regeneration of various sections on the Warrego Highway.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $317.5 million.
  
  
  
  

I am pleased to announce that the Gillard Government has worked with the Queensland Government to develop an innovative solution which will allow the delivery of the Brisbane Cross River rail project. The project will be funded through a combination of upfront grants ($715.0 million), and availability payments, with the Federal Government contributing 50 per cent of the cost of each.
In addition, the Federal Government will provide a guarantee to private sector debt in the Public Private Partnership component of the project. Details of the implementation of this project will be worked through with Queensland in the coming months.
Importantly, these projects do not represent the totality of our next program, with more likely to be added in the months ahead. Nonetheless, their addition to this Federal Labor Government’s ongoing capital works program takes our investment in the State’s road, rail and public transport infrastructure to an unprecedented $16.6 billion.
As well as setting the agenda for the future, the 2013–14 Budget also provides the final annual instalment of $1.2 billion for our current Nation Building Program (2008-09 to 2013–14), whichmore than doubled annual infrastructure spending from $143 to $314 per Queenslander.
This year’s funding allocation will enable work to be completed on the following major projects:

• Construction of a new interchange at Mains and Kessels Road in Macgregor.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $280.0 million.
  
  
  
  


• Flattening and straightening the Bruce Highway over the Cardwell Range.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $128.5 million.
  
  
  
  


• Duplication of the Bruce Highway between Temples Lane and Boundary Road on the southern approach to Mackay.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $50.0 million.
  
  
  
  


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


• Construction of a new higher bridge over the Yeppen Lagoon and the upgrade of the roundabout at the intersection of the Bruce and Capricorn highways south of Rockhampton.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $68.0 million.
  
  
  
  


• Construction of a new interchange at the intersection between the Bruce and Dawson Highways, the Calliope Crossroads near Gladstone.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $150 million.
  
  
  
  


• Realigning and widening the Bruce Highway through Cairns’ southern suburbs between Ray Jones Drive and Sheehy Road.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $150.0 million.
  
  
  
  


• Upgrading the Burdekin River Bridge on the Bruce Highway including structural repair work.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $25.0 million.
  
  
  
  


• Strengthening and widening the Warrego Highway between Roma and Mitchell including the construction of a new higher bridge over the Maranoa River at Mitchell.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $44.1 million.
  
  
  
  


• Construction of three new overtaking lanes along the Warrego Highway between Oakey and Dalby.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $10.0 million.
  
  
  
  

Over the coming 12 months work will also start on a range of projects, including:

• Duplication of the Bruce Highway between the Cooroy South interchange and Sankeys Road (also known as Section A).
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $395.0 million.
  
  
  
  


• Duplication of the Bruce Highway between Vantassel Street and Cluden, south of Townsville.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $110.0 million.
  
  
  
  


• Construction of a new interchange to replace the existing intersections between Roys Road and Bells Creek Road, as well as upgrading the Boundary Road interchange.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: part of a $195.0 million package.
  
  
  
  


• Construction of the final section of the Townsville Ring Road between Shaw Road and Mount Low.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $160.0 million.
  
  
  
  

In addition, work on the following projects will continue throughout 2013–14:

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


• Construction of an additional northbound lane along the Gateway Motorway between the Sandgate Road Interchange and south of the Deagon Deviation.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $125.0 million.
  
  
  
  


• Widening the Pacific Motorway from four to six lanes between the Nerang south and Mudgeeraba Interchanges.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $111.8 million.
  
  
  
  


• Straightening and widening the Bruce Highway from Cabbage Tree Creek to Carman Road, and across Back Creek Range.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $80.0 million.
  
  
  
  


• Upgrading the Pumicestone Road interchange including the construction of a new higher overpass over Bruce Highway.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: part of a $195.0 million package.
  
  
  
  


• Construction of a new interchange at the intersection between the Warrego and Brisbane Valley highways at Blacksoil.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $54.0 million.
  
  
  
  


• Construction of new or upgraded rest areas along the Warrego Highway as well as installing audible edge lines.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $5.0 million.
  
  
  
  


• Construction of the Legacy Way tunnel connecting the Western Freeway at Toowong with the Inner City Bypass at Kelvin Grove.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $500.0 million.
  
  
  
  


• 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 the Gold Coast Rapid Transit, a 13 kilometre light rail network connecting Griffith University at Southport to Broadbeach. The first ever Federal investment in light rail.
  
  
  
  • Federal contribution: $365.0 million.
  
  
  
  

The 2013–14 Budget continues funding for a range of initiatives which improve the State’s local roads and make them safer:

• $12.5 million to eliminate another 45 dangerous black spots;


• $197.7 million to assist councils across the State to maintain and upgrade their local roads; and


• $3.6 million to provide 5 new or upgraded rest areas, 2 stock ramps and other stockyard improvements for heavy vehicle drivers and livestock transporters.

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.
We know there’s more to be done. But this Government is making the right decisions for the nation’s future and across the length and breadth of Queensland, building the infrastructure which will stand the test of time.
This Budget keeps our economy strong and ready for the future by making the smart investments in infrastructure. We are investing for the future, putting jobs and economic growth first and protecting the important services that Australians rely on.
We’re doing this to keep our economy one of the most resilient in the world—we have low unemployment, solid growth, contained inflation and low interest rates.