SENATOR OUTLINES LABOR’S ESSENTIALS
CAIRNS-based Labor Senator Nita Green has flagged affordable housing, aged care and domestic violence funding as priorities ahead of Tuesday night’s federal budget while laying the boot into the LNP on road improvement projects.
On Monday, in a pre-budget announcement, $240m in federal funding was revealed to duplicate the Cairns Western Arterial Road between Smithfield and Caravonica.
An unimpressed Ms Green went on the offensive about a 359m upgrade designed to improve traffic flow between the Cairns CBD and the airport.
“There has been no congestion busted on this road,” she said.
“Are they promising that this is a project that will be delivered in the immediate term so we can see jobs on the ground or are they promising just to do the short work to make sure this is something they can put on their billboards but not delivering jobs in Far North Queensland?
“While the government is out there today making more announcements on roads, the big question is: What are they going to do about things announced in the last budget?
“We need to know the details, we need to know when things will be delivered (and) the big question under this government is if they will be delivered at all.
“What Labor wants to see from this government is not just announcements, we want to see the government invest in regions like Far North Queensland.”
According to the Department of Transport and Main Roads, the Airport Ave to James Street upgrade will get under way in September this year.