IT’S HIGHWAY ROBBERY

Shorten’s $40m highway pledge shortchanges project by $86m

A NEW report reveals completing the national highway from Portsmith to Cairns Airport will cost $157 million.

The figure is nearly $86m short of what is required under the traditional 80 per cent-20 per cent federal-state share.

Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten has only pledged $40m for the project to be matched by the State Government to total $80m under a 50:50 split.

The Cairns Post has obtained state costings for the project.

BILL Shorten’s $40 million pledge to extend the national highway to the Cairns Airport falls $85.6 million short of what is required.

The Cairns Post has obtained Department of Transport and Main Roads costings for the so-called ring road linking the national highway to the Smithfield roundabout, airport and shipping port.

The airport stretch — including lane increases to Ray Jones Dr and Sheridan St, and new sets of traffic lights — has been estimated at costing $157 million.

Under the usual federalstate 80 per cent-20 per cent arrangement the project would receive $125.6m from the federal government and $31.4m from the state.

But the Opposition Leader has committed $40 million on a miserly 50-50 funding split with the State Government despite federal roads traditionally attracting an 80-20 split.

It explains the State Government’s reluctance to commit to funding the massive shortfall — even under the bizarre even-share arrangement as Mr Shorten’s outlay falls almost $40 million short.

DTMR’s total estimated cost for the ring road, including major Cairns Western Arterial Road upgrades and the $152 million Smithfield bypass, tops $900 million.

The body of evidence pointing to the State Government stalling for political reasons continues to grow.

In a letter to Advance Cairns CEO Nick Trompf dated August 6, which was forwarded to Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack spoke about the National Land Transport Network review currently under way.

“The review is expected to be finalised in consultation with the states and territories later this year, and I would encourage Advance Cairns to engage with the Queensland Government to advocate for the corridor you have identified,” he said.

Cairns Mayor Bob Manning wrote to Mr Bailey on June 22 asking him to “give consideration to engaging with the Commonwealth Government to facilitate this change as soon as possible”. Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch has written to Mr Bailey several times, including a June 25 missive urging him to send a written request to Mr McCormack.

“I am advised Mr McCormack, upon receipt of your letter, is willing to consider a request for including the road in the NLTN,” he wrote.

To date, no such letter has been forthcoming.

The Cairns Post pressed Mr Bailey’s office last week to put pen to paper. The response fell short but signalled a slight positive movement after a months-long standoff.

“I have met with Mr McCormack on multiple occasions and he has not once raised this issue with me,” Mr Bailey said.

“If the Federal Government wants to extend the National Land Transport Network to the Cairns Airport or beyond to our fully funded Smithfield Bypass, we support it 100 per cent. We will include a response to Mr Entsch’s letter in an upcoming submission on the NLTN, but Mr Entsch should consider this as well – if they want this extension, then show us the money.”

Mr Entsch accused Mr Bailey of incompetence.