The federal Opposition has moved quickly this week to match the government’s funding commitment of $7.2 billion towards safety upgrades to Queensland’s Bruce Highway.
On Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in Queensland to launch the federal government’s funding commitment, reverting to an 80:20 funding ratio with the state government to fund vital upgrades to the Bruce Highway.
Yesterday, Opposition leader Peter Dutton announced they would match the funding commitment to upgrade the Bruce if they are elected into government this year.
“We will match the government’s commitment to the Bruce and, through better management of the economy, we’ll work with the Queensland government to provide additional funding to the Bruce Highway,” Dutton says.
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“The Coalition will work with the Queensland LNP government on what specific investments are required to achieve a safer highway within the total cost of the commitment that has been made.”
On top of this, Dutton also says a Coalition government would stop the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) from being part of any future works on the Bruce Highway.
In response, federal employment and workplace relations minister Murray Watt told Sky News Australia that this CFMEU comment was “meaningless”.
“There’s barely a CFMEU member who works on these road projects on the highway north of the Sunshine Coast,” he says.
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