July 11, 2024
Shane Knuth, State Member for Hill, and Duane Amos, KAP candidate for Cook, have joined forces in criticising the Queensland Government’s allocation of $450 million towards the Barron River Bridge.
They argue this investment fails to address the chronic congestion and safety issues plaguing the Kuranda Range, instead of committing to a fast-track inland highway from the Tablelands to Cairns—a project that would secure the region's long-term future and dramatically boost agriculture and mining opportunities.
"The construction of an inland highway would bypass the Barron River, meaning you don't need to spend one single cent on the Barron Bridge. The funds can be absorbed into the inland highway, starting from Davies Creek through the range and onto the Bruce Highway south of Cairns.
"While it might sound great building a brand-new bridge, once you get over the bridge the same issues apply with the Kuranda range road of constant closures, safety concerns and long delays, costing business and creating extreme frustration with motorists."
"44 closures per year at an average of 6 hours a time is absurd and no matter how good the bridge is, it wont solve these issues."
The Government’s decision to spend $450 million on the Barron River Bridge is a band-aid solution that won't solve the issues on the Kuranda Range," said Knuth.
"We need a visionary approach that includes building a fast-track inland highway to truly secure the future of our region."
Amos added,
"The Government is holding the Far North to ransom by promising to complete this project by 2031—seven years away, however based on previous form will end up being longer and more expensive. This is unacceptable.
There was no mention of the bridge in the 2024 budget, which shows they had no intention of addressing this issue until it became an embarrassment."
In response to the Government's inaction, the KAP called a public meeting on June 15 and launched an E-petition on June 14 to give tablelands communities a voice on the issue.
The petition, spearheaded by Amos and sponsored by Knuth, has swiftly garnered over 4,000 online signatures, with an additional 4,000 written signatures collected in 15 Mareeba businesses alone.
"The overwhelming support for our petition shows the depth of frustration and anger in the Tablelands community," said Knuth.
"Over 250 people attended our meeting in Mareeba on June 15, expressing their disgust at the five years of neglect by the current government."
Recent tragic events underscore the urgency of the situation.
"Another ten vehicles were destroyed by a heavy vehicle last week, and a double fatality occurred just two days ago on the Palmerston arterial," Amos stated.
"This ongoing neglect is costing the lives of our loved ones."
Knuth and Amos emphasized the KAP’s long-standing commitment to the community.
"We stood together in Mossman for the community and growers with the Mill, and we are standing together again to give a community-driven voice for the failing bridge that Bob Katter highlighted back in 2001—23 years ago," said Amos.
The KAP representatives called on the Government to prioritize the construction of the inland highway from the Tablelands to Cairns, ensuring the region's growth and safety.
"It's time for the Government to stop playing catch-up and start addressing the real issues," said Amos.
"Our communities deserve better, and we won't stop fighting until we secure the long-term future of the Far North."