Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased to update the House on several key road projects which have received funding from the federal Liberal-National coalition. In the Capricorn Coast area, works are now complete on upgrading a notoriously dangerous intersection at Hidden Valley Road and the Yeppoon-Rockhampton road, making the journey safer for motorists. The $958,000 upgrade was fully funded through our coalition government's road Black Spot Program, one of the many initiatives in place to improve road safety and reduce road trauma. The intersection was a longstanding issue in the Capricorn Coast community. The upgrade was undertaken in two stages. The first stage involved extending Hoskyn Drive to Hidden Valley Road. The second stage involved the recent upgrade of the notoriously dangerous Hidden Valley Road turn-off onto Rockhampton-Yeppoon road. The work is expected to reduce the number of collisions at this intersection.

Meanwhile, I am pleased to report to the House that work to repair Pilbeam Drive up to Mount Archer in the city of Rockhampton has been completed. Pilbeam Drive partially collapsed under rock falls during Cyclone Marcia in 2014. The two-year repair work was undertaken thanks to joint federal and state NDRRA natural disaster assistance. Mount Archer is an important asset to our region and it was important to restore access to the summit by repairing the damages to Pilbeam Drive. In addition to the road repairs, I am pleased that the federal government is also contributing $1.5 million towards the first stage of a walking track up Mount Archer and has provided funding for further developments for mountain biking.

In a third update, I am pleased to advise the House that upgrades to the Gregory Highway between Emerald and Clermont are well underway in the electorates of Capricornia and Flynn. This $25.5 million project is delivering a series of new intersections, lane widening and overtaking lanes. It has been funded through round 4 of the coalition's Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program. These upgrades will allow type 2 road trains to use this road safely and efficiently. They will also ensure that the needs of the agribusiness, mining and construction industries are met, so we can get goods to market in a competitive manner. I am advised that an average of 50 direct jobs will also be supported over the construction phase of the project. This is evidence that the National Party continues to ensure that our government supports investment into regional Australia.