Airport link key election issue

PROVIDING the missing link between the end of the national highway in Cairns and extending it to Cairns Airport is neither easy nor cheap.

For starters, the Labor State Government and the Federal Coalition (Liberal-National) hierarchy cannot agree on the funding split nor on the decision making.

There is lots of buck passing and general differences of opinion and policy.

No surprises there. The costings are also a moot point.

Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten has promised $40 million for the work with the state expected to provide $40 million, too, for a total of $80 million, even though the usual share is 80 per cent federal and 20 per cent state.

But the state Department of Main Roads and Transport estimates the work will cost a lot more: $157 million. A bit of a shortfall there, Bill. So what is the point? The missing link has been around for decades. What will be the advantage of continuing the highway from Ray Jones Drive at Portsmith to Airport Ave at Cairns North?

The road needs to go to the airport which is a key and passenger freight hub.

Traffic needs to go via a ring road instead of vehicles, especially heavy transport, having to travel through the middle of the city from the shipping port to the airport.

The issue will become a key point in the federal election due before May next year.

All parties should formulate their policy and Mr Shorten needs to revisit his original announcement.

Leichhardt will be a key seat in the election and voters are expecting a lot of promises to be delivered.