The Federal Opposition has promised that, if elected, it would invest $1.3 billion into a Tasmanian Roads Package across the state.
Labor has promised to invest in roads in all corners of the state, from replacing Hobart’s Bridgewater Bridge to major safety upgrades of the Bass, West Tamar, Frankford and Murchison Highways in the north and north-west, as well as projects that will reduce traffic congestion and expedite the movement of freight.
The package is aimed at improving safety for motorists and driving economic development in Tasmania’s agricultural and tourism sectors through a productivity boost.
Better roads will allow for swifter movement of produce and exports around the state, while also supporting growth in tourism, which generates more than $3 billion a year and supports nearly 40,000 jobs.
Federal Labor’s Tasmanian Roads Package includes:
North
The Glen Road Upgrade: $1.45 million
West Tamar Highway – Exeter roundabouts: $2 million
Palana Road Upgrade: $3.6 million
Dalrymple Road Upgrade: $2.1 million
West Tamar Highway Improvements: $25 million
Tasman Highway – Sideling Upgrade: $25 million
Frankford Highway Upgrade: $20 million
Bass Highway – Westbury to Latrobe: $50 million
Birralee Road Upgrade – Westbury and Frankford: $24 million
North-west and west coast
Murchison Highway Upgrade: $35 million
Old Surrey Road/Massy-Greene Drive Upgrade: $16 million
Lyell Highway – Queenstown to Strahan: $15 million
Bass Highway – Marrawah to Wynyard: $60 millionPort Sorell Main Road – Bass Highway to Port Sorell: $10 million
Henty Road Upgrade – Strahan to Zeehan: $10 million
South
Hobart Congestion Package: $75 million
Hobart Airport Interchange: $10 million
Sandfly Road and Huon Highway Intersection Upgrade: $12 million
Huonville Bypass: $7.5 million
Tasman Highway Intelligent Transport Solution: $10 million
Sorell to Tasman Bridge/Hobart Corridor (Tasman Highway): $130 million
Plenty Link Road: $20 million
Tasman Highway Upgrade – Orford to Bicheno: $20 million
Arthur Highway Upgrade: $30 million
In addition, a Shorten Labor Government will invest $666 million to continue the Midland Highway Ten Year Action Plan, which would deliver a replacement Bridgewater Bridge.
The announcement of Labor’s Tasmanian roads package coincides with promises for major transport infrastructure across Queensland, in a bid to win marginal seats.
Labor’s promised Queensland roads package includes the following projects:
Far North Queensland
Bruce Highway Upgrade – Extension to Smithfield (Cairns): $287 million.
Bruce Highway Upgrade – Cairns Southern Approach (Stage 5): $180 million.
North Queensland
Mount Isa to Townsville Rail Corridor Upgrade: $100 million.
Bruce Highway Upgrade – Townsville Ring Road (Stage 5): $144 million.
Central Queensland
- Bruce Highway Upgrade – Rockhampton Ring Road: $852 million
- Bruce Highway Upgrade – Mackay Ring Road (Stage 2): $280 million
- Gladstone Port Access Road Extension: $100 million
- Yeppoon Road Duplication: $64 million
- Capricorn Highway – Rockhampton to Emerald (Extra Overtaking Lanes): $15 million
- Stanage Bay Road Upgrade: $21.6 million
- Bruce Highway Upgrade – Gladstone to Rockhampton (Four-lane planning): $2.1 million
Wide Bay Burnett
Bruce Highway Upgrade – Cooroy to Curra (Section D): $800 million
Darling Downs and Western Queensland
- Inland Roads Package: $500 million
- Cunningham Highway – Eight Mile Intersection Upgrade: $17.6 million
- Continue the Warrego Highway Upgrade Program
South East Queensland
- Cross River Rail: $2.24 billion
- Extend Gateway Motorway from Bracken Ridge to the Pine River and upgrade Bruce Highway between Gateway Motorway and Dohles Rocks Road: $1.5 billion
- Bruce Highway Upgrade – Linkfield Road Overpass: $100 million
- M1 Pacific Motorway Upgrade – Eight Mile Plains to Daisy Hill: $374.5 million
- M1 Pacific Motorway Upgrade – Daisy Hill to Logan Motorway: $500 million
- M1 Pacific Motorway Upgrade – Varsity Lakes to Tugun: $515 million
- M1 Pacific Motorway Interchange Upgrade: Exits 41 and 49: $50 million
- Mt Lindesay Highway Upgrade: $30 million
- Cunningham Highway – Yamanto to Ebenezer Upgrade: $170 million
- Level Cross Removal Program:
- Lindum Road (Wynnum West): $85 million
- Cavendish Road (Coorparoo): $107 million
- Boundary Street (Coopers Plains): $73.4 million
- Rochedale Road-Priestdale Road Intersection Upgrade: $14 million
- Duplication of North Coast Line – Beerburrum to Nambour: $390 million
- Gold Coast Light Rail (Stage 3A): $112 million
- Expanded Park and Ride facilities at Mango Hill, Ferny Grove, Narangba, Northgate, Geebung and Nundah
Federal Labor argued that in a state as decentralised as Queensland, all levels of government must work together to ensure our transport networks are up to the task of supporting economic development and facilitating the efficient movement of products, including those destined to be exported to international markets.
