With stage two of the Cape York Region Package nearing completion, most were hoping Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s $7.2 billion Bruce Highway cash splash on 6 January would have included a funding commitment to continue sealing work on the Peninsula Developmental Road. Photo: Cape York Weekly.
Cape York’s road infrastructure lifeline missed out on securing an extra cent of federal funding last week as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced $7.2 billion for the Bruce Highway during a pre-election spending spree.
The Prime Minister was in full campaign mode on 6 January as he made a commitment to upgrading the Bruce Highway to a three-star safety rating as part of what is anticipated to be a $9b project.
The funding pledge – which Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has agreed to honour if the Liberal National Party form government at this year’s federal election – suggests a commitment to continue the 80:20 federal and state cost sharing key road infrastructure projects like the Cape York Region Package (CYRP) have relied on to progress.
However, the Peninsula Developmental Road (PDR), the key element of the multistage CYRP program, did not even garner a mention from Mr Albanese as he discussed boosting the safety and useability of the state’s critical road infrastructure.
The State Government has committed $60 million to stage three of the CYRP, but the funding hinges on Canberra agreeing to provide 80 per cent of the money required – $240m – to green light work on the ground.
Cape York Weekly asked Labor candidate for Leichhardt Matt Smith, who was with the Prime Minister during a whistlestop tour of Cairns last week, whether he had flagged the condition of the PDR and advocated for urgent funding for it, in addition to the Bruce Highway.
“I am proud of the Albanese government’s investment in the Bruce Highway, and I will continue to support anything that benefits our region,” he said.
“However, I am a common user of the PDR, I drive it often to visit communities in the Cape, I am aware of the issues with the road and the PDR is something that I’ve been speaking with Minister [Catherine] King’s office about; I know there’s more work to be done and I will continue to advocate for the PDR.
“It’s worth noting that the Australian government is currently investing $220.5m to seal up to 55 kilometres of the PDR, including a new crossing over Archer River.”
LNP candidate Jeremy Neal, who will battle Mr Smith to replace Warren Entsch as the Leichhardt MP, welcomed the Bruce Highway announcement but questioned whether the Prime Minister realised there was “still about 1,000km of road from the end of the Bruce Highway to our northernmost communities on Cape York Peninsula”.
“These roads aren’t just important for southern and international travellers, they’re often the only way essential goods and services can get into our region, how emergency services respond to incidents, how people get to and from medical appointments, and how local businesses move their products to market,” he said.
“Their condition directly affects the prices of basic items like fuel and food, as transport companies pass the cost of truck wear and tear onto consumers; the road’s resilience also determines at what point of the year that driving is no longer an option, leaving expensive air travel as the only way out of town.”
Regional Development Australia (RDA) Tropical North Chair Professor Hurriyet Bubacan, who also co-chairs the CYRP taskforce, has been at the coalface of advocacy to secure funding to complete the sealing of the PDR and said the Prime Minister’s announcement, while disappointing for Cape York, would not deter the organisation’s efforts.
“RDA welcomes the announcement by the Prime Minister on the $7.2b Bruce Highway package, as the Bruce Highway is a lifeline across many regional communities in northern Queensland, however, RDA would have liked to see this announcement extended to include a continued connection to the PDR to complete stage three and other [Torres and Cape Indigenous Council Alliance]-based works required,” she said.
“The social, economic and environmental impact assessment for the Cape York package conducted by the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads identified numerous economic and social benefits to the region, and an extension of the announcement to include the PDR would have been in alignment with the other announcements made by the Prime Minister for Indigenous housing and wellbeing.”
