Highway Trust ignores the regions

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto says it is outrageous that not one regionally-based representative has been appointed to the government’s Bruce Highway Trust.

THE State Labor Government has fobbed off regional Queensland with a consulting group formed to future-proof the Bruce Highway comprised of representatives from the south-east.

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto said it was outrageous there was not one regionally-based representative on the government’s Bruce Highway Trust.

“The Bruce Highway is a critical piece of infrastructure in regional Queensland, where it is often neglected by this Brisbane-centric government. To have formed this body with no regional representatives just confirms the contempt the major parties have for our part of the world,” he said.

“The highway does not need a lot of improving in the south-east, but it definitely does in the regions. I know some of my constituents have referred to parts of it as a “goat track” and they’re not wrong.”

Katter’s Australian Party Candidate for Whitsunday Ciaron Paterson said people were sick of the double standards of the major parties.

“Brisbane would never accept the highway we have here as the so called “national highway”. It’s just another example of the Brisbane-based ALP and LNP not caring about north of Redcliffe,” he said.

Katter’s Australian Party Candidate for Thuringowa Julianne Wood said regional taxpayers deserved to see a return from the government’s bean counters.

“The North makes more than its fair share of money for the state through mining, agriculture, tourism and industry. It’s about time some of that was returned to the North,” she said.

Mr Dametto said regional voices were critical to ensuring the Trust’s brief of driving a bipartisan 15-year vision for jobs and upgrades along the Bruce Highway “was a success”.

“If you don’t have an appreciation of the problems faced by regional motorists when using the Bruce Highway, nothing will get done,” he said.

“Voters are fed up with being dictated to by Brisbane and I urge them to make their voice heard at the upcoming State election by backing Katter’s Australian Party, who will always fight for the infrastructure regional Queensland deserves.”