9 October 1983
The Federal Government will spend more than $5.5 million for roads in the Townsville area this financial year.
The expenditure to replace narrnw bridges and improve roads throughout the city fulfils another pre-election promise.
- Specific projects in the roads program this financial year include: replacing the narrow Rollingstone Creek Bridge ($1.9 million)
- reconstructing the Giru turn-off on the Bruce Highway to Palm Creek $1.8 million)
- replacing the narrow Waterview Creek Bridge on the Bruce Highway($ 600,000)
- reconstructing Hamell Street ($ 181,000)
- about $ 65 million is to be spent up to 1988 upgrading the Bruce Highway.
Funds for Townsville are part of a road program for Queensland which will cost the Commonwealth $ 2712.4 million this financial year.
This represents an increase of 51.3 per cent overall including an increase of 60 per cent for local roads.
Before the last election, we promised to upgrade the Bruce Highway and to improve local roads.
The Federal Government is now providing the funds to do that.
Other North Queensland commitments we are implementing include constructing the Burdekin Dam, building a new Commonwealth Government Centre in Townsville, building a new domestic terminal
at Townsville airport, aid to the sugar industry and a series of measures to boost tourism in North Queensland.
Keith Wright has released a comprohensive and impressive set of policies for North Queensland.
I have no doubt lhe will be scrupulous in implementing those commitments. I look forward to working closely with Keith Wright as Premier to ensure North Queensland fully realises the enormous potential
it has for growth and development.