Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in full support of the motion on Roads to Recovery Program moved by the member for O'Connor, because on this side of the House we recognise the importance of delivering infrastructure projects across the nation. I recognise the comments made by the member for Bendigo as well.

The Roads to Recovery Program has been a vital part of our infrastructure investment, and over the time that we're in government it will deliver some $2.64 billion in funding to local governments from 2019-20 to 2023-24, for a total investment of some $6.2 billion for the period from 2013 to 2024. The program has been integral in supporting the maintenance of the nation's local road infrastructure assets and provides councils with maximum flexibility to manage local road projects within their shire council areas.

Importantly, the coalition government has delivered more than $78 million in local funding to both the City of Gold Coast council and the Logan City Council in my electorate of Forde since coming to government in 2013. This funding has been critical in supporting local road upgrades across both city councils, projects such as the $785,000 upgrade for the section of Wuraga Road, between Dairy Creek Road and Prangley Road, completed in 2014. This involved the reconstruction of the existing road to upgrade it to a two-lane urban arterial road standard. This important road safety upgrade has been crucial to catering for the growth and development in the areas of Bahrs Scrub, Holmview and Waterford over the past 10 years. Another $750,000 was allocated to construct and install signals on Peachy Road at Ormeau to access the Ormeau Marketplace shopping centre, a project completed in 2017 that delivered significant safety improvements for the residents of Ormeau in the northern part of the Gold Coast, one of the fastest-growing areas in my electorate.

The Roads to Recovery Program fully funded the $280,000 project for pavement rehabilitation for the entire length of Anzac Avenue from Waterford Tamborine Road to Kirk Road. Other important upgrades include the $750,000 upgrade on Loganlea Road, from Armstrong Road to the Logan Motorway; $200,000 in works on the Kingston Road service road, delivered in 2016; and some $3.4 million for a major project on Stanmore Road at Yatala. The importance of this project can't be underestimated given the ongoing significant growth in the Yatala Enterprise Area, which is now one of the major commercial, industrial and manufacturing hubs on the northern Gold Coast and a huge source of employment and economic opportunity. This area continues to grow. Every time you go down there you see new buildings being built, new industrial sheds, increased distribution services. This project is happening in conjunction with an upgrade we are funding to the tune of $50 million to exit 41, and also the recently opened Darlington intersection upgrade that I announced last week with the Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport, Scott Buchholz. This nearly $6 million investment, in conjunction with Gold Coast city council from a different funding bucket, is equally important for that local business community and for the work that they're doing.

A $1.1 million investment in the upgrade of the intersection of Station Road and Jellicoe Street at Loganlea has completely transformed that intersection. It was one where there were frequent accidents and near misses as a result of it being an off-ramp from the Logan Motorway. The work has substantially improved the safety of that intersection. And finally there is $6.9 million for the Chambers Flat Road upgrade between Mount Lindesay Highway and Kings Road at Chambers Flat. This is a significant contribution to the $38 million project that will be carried out by Logan City Council. The Roads to Recovery Program continues to benefit communities right across my electorate of Forde, and I'm very thankful that the government continues to invest and grow these projects to strengthen our economy.

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