There is no mention of the Peninsula Developmental Road or Cape York Region Package in the 2024-25 state budget, a snub that comes on the back of a cost blowout of nearly $80 million on the Archer River bridge project. Photo: Lyndon Keane.
The 2024-25 Queensland budget has followed in the footsteps of its federal cousin by delivering a “bloody disgrace” that thwarts Cape York’s economic development ambition, according to veteran Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch.
Neither budget allocated funding for – or even mentioned – the vital Cape York Region Package (CYRP) to deliver stage three of the project, which would have continued to seal the Peninsula Developmental Road (PDR) to Weipa.
Mr Entsch said it was disgraceful the CYRP did not feature in Brisbane or Canberra’s 2024-25 spending plans, a situation compounded by the fact additional funds now need to be found to offset the Archer River bridge cost blowout of nearly $80 million as part of stage two of the project.
“We’re further and further behind in stage two, it’s as simple as that,” he told Cape York Weekly.
“I notice there was nothing in the [state] budget to facilitate the loss of stage two, that underestimation, if you like; there’s nothing there to actually replace that.
“We found out by accident there’s been a massive overrun on the Archer River crossing.
“They’ve got to realise that Weipa is part of Queensland; Cape York is part of Queensland.”
Mr Entsch said he believed both budgets were politically motivated ahead of looming elections, and took a shot at his state counterpart, Cook MP Cynthia Lui, for failing to advocate for the development of the PDR and other much-needed infrastructure in favour or “little pet projects”.
“I think it’s a bloody disgrace,” he said.
“There’s not even a bloody reference [to the PDR], which is unbelievable, yet the Treasurer [Cameron Dick] and Cynthia Lui had time to go to Coen and announce a $6.7m build of a new art centre, bypassing the existing art centre and ignoring what the community desperately needs, which is a palliative care centre.
“Clearly, they’re very, very selective on what they are doing, and the things that really, really matter to the broader community are not included.
“Everything’s into the south-east corner, except these little pet projects, which are purely political.”
The Leichhardt MP said he was concerned the lack of interest in Cape York in both budgets hinted there could ultimately be a push to abolish the Federal Government’s Office of Northern Australia (ONA).
The ONA oversees the government’s policy agenda for northern Australia to “achieve sustainable and resilient northern economic and social development”, something Mr Entsch said was not reflected in the 2024-25 budgets.
“It’s become quite farcical,” he said.
“I think they’re on the way to actually abolishing the Office of Northern Australia, they’ve watered it down so much; I think the Officer of Northern Australia under this [federal] government will be abolished, and all that work we’ve done to date will be lost.
“There’s no commitment here (Cape York) whatsoever, from state or federal.”
Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch, pictured during a recent trip to western Cape York, has slammed the recent state and federal budgets as failing the region’s economic development ambitions. Photo: Facebook.
