Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is in frustration that I rise to draw attention to the crippling impact of traffic congestion in my electorate of Petrie—specifically, the traffic that banks up every morning and afternoon around the Rothwell intersection, more commonly known as the Rothwell roundabout. First, I want to thank the hundreds of locals who have completed and returned my biggest survey; your feedback to me is so important, and I hear you loud and clear: the Rothwell roundabout is an issue locally. I also want to mention the local papers, the Redcliffe & Bayside Herald and the North Lakes Times newspapers, and local journalist Amy Hutchinson for their coverage of this important issue.

Congestion on the roundabout is detrimental to people trying to get to and from work, and for too long it has impinged on economic growth and productivity for local businesses. The North Lakes-Mango Hill area is one of the fastest growing residential areas in Australia, and when the Moreton Bay Rail Link opens next year the traffic will only get worse.

For months I have been calling on the state Labor government to not just find a long-term solution but give locals surety that state money has been allocated for an upgrade of the roundabout and that a time frame for the upgrade has been set. So far, the state Labor government have done none of these things. They have no long-term solution; they have not allocated any funding; there is no time frame; and, like federal Labor, they have no plan.

On behalf of the people, the residents and businesses of Rothwell, North Lakes, Mango Hill, Redcliffe and Deception Bay, I say: enough is enough. I have stressed time and time again that the Rothwell intersection is a state government responsibility. The state government needs to find a solution and pay for it, but this is obviously not happening, and I simply cannot let the residents and businesses in my electorate suffer because of the incompetency and short-sightedness of the Queensland Labor state government. So I am putting on record that I will be lobbying anyone and everyone that I can to ensure that a long-term solution is found and implemented as soon as possible.