It’s time for the Coalition to stop its Bruce Highway charade.
Yesterday Warren Truss made a clear, unambiguous promise of $8 billion in Federal funding for the Highway.
Today it’s emerged Mr Truss hasn’t been able to convince his Coalition partners in the Liberal Party, including Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey, to commit new money with Mr Hockey refusing to endorse his $8 billion pledge. (Liberals make Bruce Highway funding U-turn, Courier Mail, 26 April, p.3).
Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey must either back in Mr Truss’ promise and tell us where the money is coming from or repudiate it and come clean with their real plans.
Three word slogans and unfunded promises don’t fix roads.
Let’s not forget that the last time they were in office, the Coalition cut $2 billion from roads funding in their first Budget. The Coalition only spent $1.3 billion over 12 years on the Bruce Highway – and that’s despite having rivers of gold flowing into the Federal Treasury and being Australia’s highest ever taxing government.
In the meantime, Federal Labor will get on with rolling out our $4.1 billion, ten year plan to build a better, safer Bruce Highway.
The Queensland LNP Government asked for $4 billion and we have provided them with more than that, taking our total commitment to this vital road to $5.7 billion.
That’s real money for real projects that are already making a real difference. For example, Cooroy to Curra Section B in Warren Truss’ own electorate has been promised, funded, delivered, built and opened by this Federal Labor Government.
When it comes to the Bruce Highway, Labor will always deliver more than the LNP.