Newsroom

July 4, 2024

Robbie Katter, KAP Party Leader and State Member for Traeger, and Duane Amos, KAP Candidate for Cook, call for immediate halt to the Queensland Government's $700 million Bribie Island Bridge promise. This move comes as North Queensland’s vital Barron River Bridge continues to be neglected despite servicing over 200,000 Cairns residents and 36,000 Cook constituents.

“This is yet another example of the complete lack of respect for the north,” Katter stated. “The Barron River Bridge services 16,000 vehicles a day and no funding has been provided.”

The Premier announced $700 million for the Bribie Island Bridge, which is fully functional, while the Barron River Bridge remains unfunded and in dire need of repairs. The comparison highlights a stark disparity in government priorities, which Katter and Amos both deem unacceptable.

“If our heavy vehicles can’t use the Barron River Bridge or the Palmerston Highway, they’ll have to go over Hervey’s Range. This neglect is not just inconvenient; it’s dangerous and economically damaging,” said Amos. “It’s ironic that the government can find $700 million for an unnecessary bridge but can’t fix our lifeline between Cairns and the Tablelands.”

Katter and Amos are also calling on the LNP leadership to commit to halting the Bribie Island Bridge project and redirecting those funds to urgently needed repairs on the Barron River Bridge, or an announcement that both projects can be completed. “They need to be clear on whether they’ll prioritise the safety and infrastructure needs of Far North Queensland, over unnecessary projects in the south," Amos says.

Katter and Amos urge the public to support the Barron River Bridge e-petition and call out the government’s blatant vote-buying. “Our Barron River Bridge needs your support now more than ever,” Amos emphasised. “We will not stand by while North Queensland continues to be sidelined for political gain,” the KAP leader says.