General News
9 October, 2024
Parties slammed for stance on road, bridge
KATTER’S Australian Party candidates for Hill and Cook have slammed the major parties for what they call a “short-sighted band-aid fix” for the Kuranda Range Road and Barron River bridge.
To date, Labor has committed to a $450 million new bridge at the Barron River and some safety upgrades to the range road in around two years’ time after the washouts caused by Cyclone Jasper and extreme rainfall last December have been repaired.
The LNP has committed to fixing the bridge as a priority and to build a new bridge in a shorter time frame than Labor. The party has not given any commitment on an alternative road to the coast.
Member for Hill Shane Knuth and KAP candidate for Cook Duane Amos say the parties’ positions on the range road and bridge “won’t address the disastrous issues” that users face daily.
The duo is calling for a bold, long-term solution – building a new fast-tracked inland highway that will bypass the Barron River altogether and secure the region’s prosperity for decades to come.
Mr Knuth criticised both major parties for their lack of vision.
“The reality is spending $450 million on a new Barron River Bridge is not going to fix the nightmare issues that currently exist on the Kuranda Range,” he said.
“It’s a short-term, reactionary fix that won’t solve the bigger issues of travel distance, closures, congestion, safety, and economic development.
“A new bridge won’t change the fact that the Kuranda Range is dangerous, unreliable, and inadequate for the growing population and economic needs of the region.
“The only real, viable solution is a fast-tracked inland highway that will resolve all problems, open up the Tablelands and Cairns for future growth and won’t require a $450million Barron River Bridge at all,” Mr Knuth said.
KAP candidate for Cook Duane Amos echoed the sentiments, slamming both major parties for a lack of action and foresight.
“Their approach is reactive and lacks any long-term vision for North Queensland,” he said.
“The Kuranda Range issue isn’t just about fixing a bridge, it’s about securing the region’s long-term future.
“We need infrastructure that supports our economic potential in agriculture, mining, and tourism - not patchwork solutions that will just land us back at square one in a few years.
“Where are the commitments from the major parties to a project that will actually solve the problem?
“What we need is a proper inland highway that will ensure the economic resilience of our region and save people’s lives by providing a safe, reliable route once and for all.
“This is an election priority for KAP to ensure we secure our long-term prosperity, and that starts with a fast-tracked inland highway, not a new bridge,” Mr Amos concluded.
