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Rocky Ring Road Awaits Full Federal Commitment

The Hon. Michelle Landry

Member for Capricornia
Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing

Senator The Hon. Bridget McKenzie
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport & Regional Development
Leader of the Nationals in the Senate
Senator for Victoria

Federal Member for Capricornia, Michelle Landry, is calling on the Federal Labor Government to show their full commitment towards the Rockhampton Ring Road.

Despite small steps being made towards construction commencing, full commitment to funding the major infrastructure project is yet to be confirmed by the Albanese Government.

Ms Landry said there are still questions that need to be answered about the Rockhampton Ring Road.

“The failure of the Federal Government to fully commit to this vital project is outrageous.

“It took an enormous amount of people power for some of the funding to be delivered for early works to begin, however there is still a great gap between what they’ve committed so far and how much it will cost to complete.

“Central Queenslanders are fed up with being put last when it comes to funding for the much needed infrastructure for the regions.

“The wealth of the nation is produced here from our natural resources. It’s only right that a fair portion of the royalties from these commodities be returned to our region,” Ms Landry said. 

Following Labor’s first Budget in October last year, Capricornia was swindled of $1.5 billion of investment into regional and rural projects.

Grant programs, like the Building Better Regions Fund and the Economic Security and Regional Development Plan, were scrapped by Labor during last year’s Budget, leaving many other regional and rural Australians without the much-needed funds to support their growth.

On a visit to the Capricornia electorate with Ms Landry this week, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Senator Bridget McKenzie said concerns are rising that regional Australian’s needs will yet again be ignored by the Albanese Labor Government in the upcoming May 2023 Budget.

“Up and down the length of the Bruce Highway, the Albanese Government has cut and delayed more than $1.2 billion in funding for road projects which had been agreed by the former Coalition Government.

“The Coalition will continue to fight to have Labor’s cut and delayed projects restored to the works schedule for the benefit of Queensland communities and calls on the Albanese Government not to make further cuts to productivity enhancing, nation-building infrastructure projects in the May budget.

“Australians deserve better – better roads, better rail and better infrastructure, not more cuts and delays from the Labor Government,” Senator McKenzie said.

Federal Member for Capricornia, Ms Landry, said she hopes the Federal Labor Government honour the promise the Prime Minister made in 2019, that funding for the Rockhampton Ring Road is a certainty in the upcoming Budget.

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