Mr ANDREW: Mr McGowan, I have one more question about the beef corridor road network. We
are the beef capital of Australia and our roads are dangerously dilapidated and substandard
safety-wise, as far as many who transport beef across these roads are concerned. What are we doing
here in Queensland with the budget to update these roads and make sure they are fit for purpose?
CHAIR: If we were to do this, it would be better addressing it to the Treasurer in that it is a
broader question about roads investment.
Mr ANDREW: It is crucial.
CHAIR: Mr McGowan is shaking his head. It might actually be better addressed during the
transport and main roads estimates. I am not certain.
Mr ANDREW: I would like to hear if there was anything you could add. I would really like to hear
it.
Mr DICK: We have a record investment in the portfolio of transport and main roads this year,
member for Mirani. It is a record investment—one we have never seen previously. We have one of the
most distributed road networks in the world in one of the most decentralised states in the world, and we
take our commitment to investing in roads, particularly in regional Queensland, very seriously.
Within our capital program, the biggest single investment comes through our Department of
Transport and Main Roads. In our overall capital program, we are investing about 70 per cent of that in
regional Queensland. Of the 72,000 jobs that will be generated out of our $27 billion investment this
year, about 70 per cent of that will be invested in regional Queensland.
In March, we announced $500 million for our beef roads initiative, and that will include: paving
and sealing sections of the Clermont-Alpha Road in Mackay-Whitsunday and Central West districts,
near your electorate; pave, seal and widen the floodway along Alpha-Tambo Road in the Central West
district; pave and seal in sections of the Fitzroy Developmental Road between Bauhinia and Duaringa
in the Fitzroy; and pave and seal sections along May Downs Road in the Mackay-Whitsunday district,
again in your part of the world. That is an important investment that we have made. Those works are in
addition to the $107 million early works package announced in November 2023 to kickstart the $1 billion
Inland Freight Route, known as the Second Bruce Highway. We remain committed to that.
In relation to coal roads, which is not directly related to your question about beef roads, we have
made an election commitment as a party to invest $157 million in the Peak Downs Highway. The Labor
Party has made that commitment to upgrade those roads in the Burdekin electorate, should we be
re-elected. We are very strongly focused on the roads that deliver the resources outcome, whether they be mining, beef or agriculture. We are very focused on delivering for those communities and upgrading
those roads where we can.
Mr ANDREW: Treasurer, the carnage on the Bruce Highway is out of control.
Mr DICK: It all has to be paid for, member for Mirani, and we have made a commitment to
upgrade, accelerate and add more money to our investment in the Bruce Highway. We remain
committed to that, but we are not going to perpetrate a hoax on the people of Queensland and say that,
all of a sudden, the road will be dual lane from north of Brisbane to Cairns. That happened in the last
election under the LNP and it was a complete hoax on the people of Queensland.
We will be fair dinkum and straight. Where we can invest, we will invest, and we will make that
commitment very clear. Not only will we make a commitment; we will make sure that it is funded. It will
not be a false promise. We will make sure that we are very clear with the dollars we commit. For
example, the upgrade to the coal community roads will be additional borrowings that we will make as a
Labor government if we are re-elected to make that investment. We will be fair dinkum with people, not
put it off to the never-never like the LNP because they need to cut.