You can always make the bridge higher, create make more passing lanes, build higher over the black soil plains or lay more bitumen.

I should add however that there are some locals that would prefer sections remain unsealed so that they limit accessibility to some of our favourite spots.

There are some stand out sections of road that have become big issues for the users.

However the Traeger electorate has an enormous footprint which means road funding is usually spread pretty thin and the state government therefore leaves a lot of pressure on councils to pick up the slack.

Better roads can primarily improve safety conditions for all users. This is becoming more acute with declining use of the rail in favour of more trucks on the highway.

Better roads to mines like gunpowder (Capricorn copper) or phosphate can mean more accessibility for local workers driving in and out plus consumables still being shipped in during the wet season.

Having the road sealed through to Burketown now means that many people who can only afford two wheel drive vehicles can access the larger towns as well.

One of the worst roads at present is the road to Lawn Hill (Boodjamulla) where I happened to blow two tyres a few months ago in the same trip.

The Burke Shire are burdened with maintaining this road with very little support from state government.

The government wants to promote outback tourism but it is unfair on the tourism operators and the local councils if they don’t provide money for these outback roads.

I have met with both the transport and main roads minister and tourism minister over both roads such as the Lawn Hill Rd.

Tourism minister Kate Jones was particularly responsive acknowledging that we need ad different approach to this problem.

In short, for all the talk about broadening our economic base with tourism the government should at least be able to seal roads to our major attractions.

Some wins I’ve had in recent years with roads have been the road to the Age of Dinosaurs in Winton, the Hann Highway to Hughenden and the Western Roads Package of $40m across the region which is now mostly spent.

I remain focussed on roads quality as a fundamental role of government because it is an opportunity for an instant ‘sugar hit’ to local employment as well.

I remain committed to making sure road money goes to local operators and contractors and to try reduce the amount of state money that gets sucked up by the department before actual works on the ground start.

I also remain committed to getting the rail better utilised and therefore having less traffic on the highway to the port.

I have had discussions with key groups in Townsville recently to raise the profile of these issues that we have in the North West.

It would be good for Townsville to recognise the high number of employees that are directly employed in the North West Minerals Province (NWMP).

They spend a lot of time fussing over the Nickel Refinery when in fact if we could address the rail and transmission line issues we could create many more jobs than Queensland Nickel.

Our research indicates that the number of Townsville employees flying in and out to the North West is likely in the thousands.

The people and politicians in Townsville need to stop being so focussed on the Queensland Nickel Refinery and help not only sustain the mining jobs here in the North West but also unlock many more that can be stimulated by investment in our roads.

In other matters, the level of challenges seem to grow faster than I can address them but I assure people that I am still hammering away at the airlines problem along with state charges on our water and electricity.