FUNDING to complete the Hann Highway will be in the spotlight, with the Prime Minister Tony Abbott expected to visit North Queensland later this week.
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Leaders from across regional Queensland have joined KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter’s calls for the Federal Government to fund the inland route, providing a link from Cairns to Melbourne and cutting about 750km off the trip.
“It will ensure that North Queensland’s products, whether fruit and vegetables or cattle, gets down to the southern markets faster,” Mr Katter said.
“It will be an alternate road to the Pacific Highway when it floods, which happens at least once each year, which will ensure continued access to markets year-round.
“It will allow road trains to travel the entire distance without needing to unhook their trailers, drastically reducing cost,
maintenance, fuel and fatigue management.’’
Mr Katter said savings would be made by lowering the fuel footprint and the increasing cost of congestion, maintenance and upgrade on the Pacific Highway.
“The credit for the completion of this great and critical piece of infrastructure for Australia will be remembered long into the future,” Mr Katter said
“If the Federal Government does not face up to their responsibilities with respect to the Hann Highway, then I’m confident the State Government will.”
Mr Katter said he has urged the Prime Minister and relevant ministers that the Hann Highway is a critical element in the go-forward program for Northern Australia.
State Member for Mount Isa Robbie Katter said there were very positive signs the State Government was also considering funding the project.
“It’s been high on the KAP agenda for a long time and there’s a high chance that we’ll get the support at a state level in the next budget,” he said.
“People are screaming for national projects, this one is of national significance that can be delivered for around $89 million, it represents good value to the tax payer.”
Chairman of the Hann Highway Action Group Russell Lethbridge said it was a “no-brainer” in terms of regional development of the North Queensland region.
“It has the full support of the greater Cairns community because the benefits of this road are so far reaching.
“The benefits aren’t isolated to the people that live along the road, they will stretch from Weipa to Melbourne in terms of access to transport routes.
“There is only 125km of road that needs to be sealed to complete the highway, so to me it’s not a big commitment when you see what else is being built in the country.
“Right now the western communities are struggling, this will get money flowing into those regions. I’ve been to Canberra two or three times on this over the last 12 years, we often get the ball rolling and then we have a change of government.’’