General News
5 April, 2025
Bridge, Hann Hwy big Budget winners
A NEW bridge over the Barron River at Kuranda has attracted $225 million in last week’s Federal Budget.
The actual cost of building the structure is yet unknown and will remain so until the State Government’s business case is completed, but an estimate of $450 million was put forward during last year’s State election.
The Far North will also benefit from $97.3 million announced in the budget for the completion of the upgrading of the Kennedy Development Road (between the Lynd and Hughenden section of the Great Inland Highway), which is a key strategic link from northern Australia to the southern freight hubs of Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne.
Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter and his son, KAP leader Robbie Katter, have welcomed the funding which has come after years of lobbying by many in the north.
“The sealing of this final stretch will open up huge economic opportunity in that the southern states will be now connected to Far North Queensland via a proper inland highway, and will just generally reduce the North’s transport network vulnerabilities – something we have all been acutely reminded of given this very intense current wet season,” Robbie Katter said.
“The finalisation of the Hann means that if you’re in the fruit and vegetable game and carting freight from the tropical far North to Melbourne to Sydney or back, you will be able to save up to 13 hours of burning rubber and diesel from driving up along the coast.
“For our local communities, directing major freight transporters to the Hann takes a lot of road rains off the highway which saves the wear and tear and reduces congestion.
“If you take one triple road train down the Hann you can take two b-doubles off the Bruce, which is a big thing.”
While the road funding was welcomed, Bob Katter criticised last week’s budget over its lack of proactive infrastructure planning, onerous regulatory overreach, and an obvious lack of investment in agriculture and mining industries.
“The 2025 Budget reveals a government more focused on reactive policies rather than proactively addressing the needs of our nation,” he said.
“Our agriculture and mining sector is the backbone of our country’s economic growth and prosperity.
“But it is clear that the country is nothing more than a quarrying nation. Its income comes from iron ore, coal, bauxite, silicon – none are processed. We are giving our most vital resources to foreign landlords while shutting down our most lucrative industry: coal.”
While the Budget features $17 billion for the Bruce Highway, Mr Katter is sceptical about what parts of the road will be done, and when it will be done.
“What is not clear in the Budget is where this $17 billion will be allocated. Since November 2021, $40 million has been allocated for the Gairloch and Seymour areas, yet no construction has started,” he said.
“Construction of the Bridle Track Tunnel, which will provide emergency evacuation for Cairns and the surrounds must be a priority and connecting the Great Inland Highway (Lynd to Charters Towers section), and key roads like the Bruce Highway at Seymour and Gairloch must also be fast-tracked to ensure our industries remain uninterrupted.”
On health, the budget includes a $8.5 billion injection to ensure visits to GPs across the country continue to be bulk billed, but Mr Katter said the government had failed to adequately address the needs of rural communities.
“The government has failed to significantly address the shortage of GPs in rural and regional areas, and their approach to pharmacy regulations will only make it harder for rural Australians to access the medications and services they need,” he said.
“A lot of these measures, whilst effective in metropolitan areas, will do little to address the current health crisis due to the lack of healthcare workers in regional Australia.”
In terms of emergency management, Mr Katter called for a portion of the $6 billion in annual GST revenue from insurance to be specifically quarantined for infrastructure projects that would reduce flood risks and allow for relief and recovery.
“Raising, sealing, and widening roads, as well as building new roads to connect Cairns to the Tablelands, as well as flood-proofing the Bruce Highway are crucial investments in disaster mitigation,” he said.
