Labor Budget rips billions away from generations of Maranoa locals

May 12, 2023

The Labor Government’s Budget has ripped billions of dollars away from generations of Maranoa communities in the form of infrastructure projects and other local initiatives.

Several vital road infrastructure projects have been left in limbo after the Labor government put the Infrastructure Pipeline under review.

Maranoa MP and Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said among the crucial road safety developments left hanging are proposed works to the Cunningham Highway, Warrego Highway, and the Outback Way.

“The Cunningham Highway is a vital route to not only the Maranoa electorate, but the entire state as it connects the bush to metropolitan areas, while the Warrego Highway is one of the most crucial in our electorate as it is frequently used by many within our agriculture and resource sectors,” Mr Littleproud said.

“Known as Australia’s longest shortcut, the Outback Way not only provides tourism opportunities to Western Queensland, but also provides a vital transport connection between Winton and Western Australia, but the Labor Government’s Budget fails to realise the significance of all three of these projects.”

Along with casting doubt over the future of several road infrastructure projects, Mr Littleproud said the Labor Government’s scrapping of the Building Better Regions Program, meant opportunities for projects that would have benefitted generations of Maranoa locals have been taken away.

“Eliminating the Building Better Regions Program means projects for our electorate’s youth, such as the new Barcaldine Swimming Pool Complex and the Eromanga Natural History Museum expansion won’t come to fruition,” Mr Littleproud said.

“It also means projects for adults such as housing for health workers in Chinchilla and projects for our elderly such as the construction of an aged care facility in Winton cannot go ahead.

“By Scrapping the Building Better Regions Program the Labor Government has ignored the needs of regional Australians and in turn have made them forgotten Australians.”

Since it was introduced by the former Coalition Government in 2016, the Building Better Regions Fund was used for a variety of projects including; a cold storage facility in Warwick, an independent aged care facility in Blackbutt, upgrades at the Codamine Cods Rugby Club and construct the Outback Museum of Australia.