The Transport Minister has failed to address the big issues during his visit to Bundaberg, said Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett.
Mr Bennett said while he welcomes Gladstone Port Corporation’s interest in ventures at the Bundaberg Port, there are still many significant issues that have been ignored by the Stake-holding Port Minister.
“The Minister today should have addressed the lack of investment in the State Development Area, including the issues of much needed power upgrades at the port and the damage this is causing.
“We don’t need a fly in fly out Minister for Transport.
“Perhaps the Minister could take the time to drive in and talk to stakeholders and locals before heading back to the big smoke.
“During today’s visit, the Minister should also have acknowledged the Federal Government’s Hinkler Deal that could see tens of millions of dollars invested in the port through a mixed used conveyor belt system.
“The Minister today should have also addressed the continual delays in the approval of the $20m Pacific Tugs development.
“Between the Minister and the Gladstone Ports Corporation, these repeated delays are sending the wrong message to stakeholders and investors.”
Mr Bennett said he’s very disappointed that during road safety week, the Minister for Transport failed to address major funding cuts to our road network.
“The Auditor General’s Report No.4 Integrated Transport Planning 2017-18 identified in its conclusions on page 4 that “renewal of the existing network has been, and continues to be, underfunded”.
“It’s been calculated that DTMR has a $4 billion renewal backlog for its road network as at 30 June 2017.
“Clearly this underfunding has resulted in risks to the sustainability of the network and has huge implications for road safety.
“The overall condition of the network falls well short of the Department of Transport and Main Road’s standards.
“In fact, the department forecasts that the renewal backlog on the state-controlled road network will exceed $9 billion over the next decade.
“The reality is, Labor is borrowing more and building less.
“Infrastructure spending across the forward estimates has actually decreased by $23 million in Queensland, compared with last year.
“Queensland in 2018-19 had the second lowest infrastructure spend as a percentage of gross state product at 1.75 per cent – ahead of only the ACT. NSW clocked 3.88 per cent and Victoria about 3 per cent.
It has also been reported Queensland has the lowest capital expenditure as a percentage of revenue in the nation in 2018-19. (Qld 10.27%)
Comparing 2014-15 LNP Budget to 2019-20 Budget, there have been cuts to infrastructure spending (capital purchases plus capital grants) in the following regions:
* Brisbane North = $108.152 million
* Brisbane West = $41.798 million
* Gold Coast = $159.626 million
* Moreton Bay South = $223.324 million
* Outback = $1.797 million
* Sunshine Coast = $132.922 million
* Toowoomba = $453.266 million
* Wide Bay = $463.149 million
28/08/19