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Title

Main Committee

ADJOURNMENT

Roads: Funding

Database

House Hansard

Date

05-08-2004

Source

House of Reps

Parl No.

40

Electorate

Petrie

Interjector

 

Main Committee/Federation Chamber

Yes

Page

32372

Party

LP

Presenter

 

Status

Final

Question No.

 

Questioner

 

Responder

 

Speaker

Gambaro, Teresa, MP

Stage

Roads: Funding

Type

 

Context

Adjournment

System Id

chamber/hansardr/2004-08-05/0153


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Thursday, 5 August 2004
Page: 32372


Ms GAMBARO (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence) (11:58 AM) —I am very pleased to speak today about the recent AusLink announcement which will guarantee further funding to the Bruce Highway. I was very pleased to be at the launch of this great announcement with the member for Dickson and the member for Longman. That now brings to a total of $280 million the sum that will be spent on upgrading the Bruce Highway, which is one of the major highways that links the south-east corner to some of the northern areas and which is the main route that is used for produce and for people who travel up to the wonderful tourist destinations of Maroochydore, Noosa, Hervey Bay and the other terrific spots that we have in Queensland. The upgraded Bruce Highway is going to make a significant difference for the region. It was one of the worst spots in terms of congestion and the number of incidents that occurred.

I have done my very best to deliver on the local scene as much as I can as a federal member, but sadly that is not the case for the two state members that represent the area. I want to thank the people of Petrie for their wonderful response to the petition that was tabled some months ago on the Houghton Highway Bridge. It is official: it is Queensland's worst road. The RACQ nominated it as the worst road. The other day the Courier-Mail did a survey that said it was one of the worst roads in Queensland. So what further validation does the state member, Ray Hollis, need that it is Queensland's worst road? A number of the residents who signed the petition have written to me. They have mentioned some terrible incidents of road rage, being late for work and fearing for their safety. They feel that they are being treated as second-class citizens. The people of Redcliffe have really had enough of the two state members making poor excuses. They are sick of constant stalling and feasibility study after feasibility study. I want to read into Hansard a selection of comments that some of the residents have made:

I recently broke down on the bridge, on the one open lane. I was abused by motorists for causing delays. I was stuck there for over half an hour. The traffic in both directions was banked back for kilometres.

That was a Scarborough resident. A Redcliffe resident said:

We moved here 12 years ago and nothing in all that time has been done to upgrade the Houghton Highway Bridge. Driving over it once or twice is very different to those who drive over it twice a day, five days a week.

I do that, so I know how this person feels.

How many times have you driven over it, Mr Beattie? As for this beautiful peninsula consider those of us who live here who need a rail link to travel to beautiful Brisbane instead of driving.

`The Houghton Highway is a three lane death trap!' said a Clontarf resident. Another Redcliffe resident said:

What does one say to the employer who no longer wants to believe that excuse again for being late! `Isn't there another way to go?' asks the employer. No, there is no other way to go! One cannot drive over water!

Another resident said:

I feel very upset being treated by the Beattie government like a second-rate citizen. But I won't forget when it comes time to vote.

Other comments include: `The bridge is a disaster waiting to happen'; and `The 60 kilometre speed limit will only aggravate drivers more and you could start seeing more road rage.' Another resident said:

Don't cross the bridge in dark hours—try crossing it in peak daylight hours—tolerate the smashes and the failure of traffic control lights. Apologise to your employer yet again for late attendance at work!

Another resident said:

I am sick and tired of the accidents, breakdowns, traffic-jams and near-misses that I come across and the road rages that I see. For 24 years that I have been a Redcliffe resident I am sick to death of the state government's irresponsibility to our safety and livelihoods!

Another resident said:

This bridge is just plain dangerous and needs to be remedied. Think about it—head to head traffic on a narrow bridge with no carriageway division. Even worse—nowhere to go and nowhere to manoeuvre in the event of a potential collision.

Another resident said:

Thirty years is a long time to be told no, after all the promises, Mr Beattie!

I urge the two state members to do something about this. I have done my best as a federal member to get funding for the Bruce Highway. Please use some of that GST money that we bestow on Queensland so generously to do something for the people of Redcliffe and solve this terrible bridge problem. It is a nightmare. It is an outrage for the people of Redcliffe to have to put up with such a terrible bridge that is the cause of many accidents and much road rage. They deserve far better than this, and they do not deserve to be fobbed off. (Time expired)