LOCAL JOBS PROTECTED WITH EXTRA $4.7M FOR ROADS AND BRIDGES ACROSS FLYNN

AN EXTRA $4.7 million will be invested in critical roads and bridges around Flynn, securing local jobs and bolstering the almost $130 million locked in for regional roads and bridges by Member for Flynn Ken O’Dowd in recent weeks.
 
Mr O’Dowd joined Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure Michael McCormack and Hopkins Bros director Tony Hopkins to make the announcement at Gracemere today.
 
The extra funding secured by Mr O’Dowd will fix a number of strategic sites, including:

  • $2.1 million for the Biloela Heavy Vehicle Bypass

  • $400,000 for Delusion Creek Bridge

  • $400,000 for the Theodore Water Treatment Plant Flood Road access

  • $400,000 for Gogango Creek Bridge

  • $700,000 for early works to fix the intersection of Rosedale and Winfield Roads

  • $700,000 for early works to fix the intersection of the Burnett Highway, Gayndah-Mount Perry Road and Wetherton Road

 
Deputy Prime Minister, Nationals’ Leader and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said investing in key infrastructure across regional Australia brought benefits through enhanced productivity by getting produce to markets quicker.
 
“With regional Australia providing around 70 per cent of the nation’s exports with only 30 per cent of the population, we know that strong regions equal a strong Australia,” Mr McCormack said.
 
“We need modern and safe infrastructure to ensure our valuable products are transported to key markets quickly and efficiently.”
 
Mr O’Dowd said the extra investment in the region’s roads demonstrated the Liberal and Nationals Government’s commitment to regional areas.
 
“Building better bridges and roads is in the DNA of the Liberal and Nationals Party because we appreciate the difference they make to local businesses and families. This is all about jobs, jobs, jobs – every dollar we invest in better roads and bridges delivers real bang for buck for local businesses and communities,” Mr O’Dowd said.
 
“Roads and bridges are a pipeline for regional jobs, by linking our regional producers and manufacturers to our ports and the rest of the world, supporting and creating more jobs in towns like Biloela, Gayndah, Emerald, Theodore and dozens of other communities in Flynn.
 
“Today’s commitment of an extra $4.7 million into local roads and bridges means the products grown and made in our towns will be able to get to their destinations more efficiently, which means more dollars in the pockets of local workers, farmers and businesses.”
 
Today’s announcement comes on top of road and bridge funding recently secured by Mr O’Dowd, including

  • $100 million for Stage Two of the Gladstone Port Access Road,

  • $20 million for the John Peterson Bridge outside Mundubbera and

more than $5 million to fix 10 ageing bridges across Flynn

Shane Manning