Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

We certainly have, on top of today's announcement, allocated additional funding for the section of the highway that the member refers to. We are also in discussions with the Queensland government about nation building 2, the next part of the program, which begins in 2014-15. We are absolutely committed to upgrades on the Bruce Highway, which is why we have, as I said, invested more than twice as much in half the time than our predecessors. And in identifying the areas that are most dangerous, I am aware that a number of those are in the area referred to by the member because of the population growth that has occurred.

Indeed, the Cooroy to Curra section, which construction will begin on later this year, is a section in which about one in five of the vehicles that use that particular stretch of highway are heavy vehicles. That makes it particularly dangerous, and it makes it particularly appropriate that you have a divided carriageway. I look forward to the discussions with the Queensland government about the priorities for the Bruce Highway, but this government will maintain our commitment to upgrading the Bruce as part of our upgrading of our nation's roadworks. (Time expired)

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