Probuild Civil received the contract for the bypass despite frustration in the community, which believes in supporting the local economy. 

Frustration may have increased with Probuild Civil’s project subcontractor, Northern Mining and Contracting Services, abandoning the earthworks it was supposed to do and not paying bills it has left. 

Curry Contracting and Co director Dionne Connolly said businesses disguised as “shop-front” locals continued to secure contracts in Cloncurry. 

“The shop-front locals are generally fully supportive and encourage the use of FIFO or DIDO workforces as demonstrated at the Cloncurry Bypass Project and so our local economy is hit with the proverbial ‘double-whammy’.

“If shop-front businesses continue to secure contracts at prices that are not sustainable in the long term and nothing further is done by the client the Local Industry Participation Plans and Local Content Policies as they are intended to apply, real local businesses and real local people will continue to the suffer the consequences of their inaction,” she said. 

Cloncurry Shire chief executive David Neeves was asked through a council spokesperson yesterday why Probuild Civil was chosen to complete the work over local contractors, and he overlooked the question. 

However, Mr Neeves did say the bypass was still on schedule and he was confident it would be completed by mid-December. 

“Probuild Civil have indicated to council that there will no delays in lieu of Northern Mining and Contracting Services ceasing work on the project,” Mr Neeves said. 

Mr Neeves said the bypass was a significant project for the region and is estimated to support 80,000 road trains a year. 

“[It] has the ability to capture all heavy vehicle movements from the South, West and Northern areas of our shire,” he said. 

A Probuild Civil spokesman said the company was trying to find another sub-contractor as soon as possible. 

He described the sub-contractor’s desertion as “a minor hiccup”.