General News
30 June, 2024
Candidates speak out on bridge, range disaster
STATE election candidates for Barron River and Cook have spoken out on the “lack of action” towards the Barron River bridge and Kuranda Range road, both pledging action if elected in October.
Katter’s Australian Party candidate for Cook Duane Amos and Liberal National Party candidate for Barron River Bree James were vocal among the community last week, demanding something must be done to the main transport route.
Since 2001, Mr Amos said KAP had been lobbying for action on the “unreliable” range and bridge and said the inaction had cost daily commuters, tourism, freight and the overall economy.
“Bob (Katter) had written to the transport minister in 2001 and was shut down – basically told to stop scaremongering,” he said.
“Flash forward to 2020 when the report had come out, and they started to see these things that needed repairing, and now DTMR has finally declared that the steel structures are failing.”
At a recent public meeting, Mr Amos, alongside Member for Hill Shane Knuth, started an online petition, which currently has over 2,100 signatures.
The petition calls upon the state to “ensure the urgent repair of the current Barron River Bridge to full capacity and immediately progress to fast track a new inland highway from the Tablelands to Cairns”.
Many residents were concerned the petition only stated that repairs be made instead of calling for a new bridge, but Mr Amos said the wording was deliberate.
“The priority for them (the people who attended the public meeting) was to get the old bridge functioning,” he said.
“So, we left it open because we wanted to be able to show the government that is a frustration and appetite our there to get things progressing quickly – it’s very broad and doesn’t disadvantage anyone and allows for options.”
Mr Amos said the issues were no longer “political”.
“We need a solution and we need it now,” he said.
Ms James took to Facebook and stated that “only an LNP Government will deliver the Barron River Bridge”.
“Labor's inaction on the Barron River Bridge is causing uncertainty and sending costs skyrocketing for businesses and locals,” she said.
“It’s clear Labor can’t be trusted when it comes to the Barron River Bridge, we need a long-term solution but after nine years Labor has no plan - they only care about the next four months not the next four years.
“Our community deserves a government that prioritises us and will be up-front with the future of Barron River Bridge. Labor is hiding the truth and used their numbers in Parliament to keep us in the dark about what work has been done to date and what is planned.
“This planning that was supposed to be completed last year but is still ongoing and now 'pre-construction' has blown out to 2026/27, which is just another delaying tactic to get them past the next election. Clearly, Labor isn't interested in fixing the bridge.
“That's why the LNP has been working hard to get access to the planning done to date – so we can stop the dithering and get a plan in place for a long-term solution, which is my priority.”
