Newsroom

July 18, 2024

The state of disrepair plaguing the Flinders Highway in North West Queensland is nothing short of governmental incompetence, Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Leader and Member for Traeger, Robbie Katter said.

A petition to the Queensland Parliament has been launched to support Mr Katter’s and North Queenslanders’ call for immediate upgrades to the Flinders Highway.

“Unlike the current government who merely pay lip service to rural infrastructure issues, the KAP and I have consistently been the squeaky wheel fighting for real improvements to the highway,’ Mr Katter said.

“Lives are at risk because of the disgraceful state of the Flinders Highway with crumbling shoulders, failing bridges and tarmac looking like it has been hit by aerial bombing.

“The highway is notoriously bad for fatal accidents, and safety issues are compounded by light vehicles and an increasing number of heavy haulage vehicles trying to navigate long stretches of road with no passing lanes, failing bridges and river crossings and sections reduced to one lane,” the member for Traeger said.

The Flinders Highway is one of the most important national economic freight routes in Australia supporting a half a billion-dollar cattle and mining industry and will become the most important green energy and critical mineral route to deliver the $5 billion CopperString 2032 project.

“Let’s call a spade a spade - despite being fully aware of the facts, the government continues to fail to prioritise essential maintenance and upgrades to the highway, instead choosing to fund major Brisbane projects and extravagances,” Mr Katter said.

“In its current state the Flinders is not fit for purpose and is causing unnecessary damage to vehicles and poses significant risks to the safety and lives of its users.

“It is utterly unacceptable that North West Queensland continues to lag behind Brisbane and the South East when it comes to our roads.

“The Flinders Highway is an embarrassment, and I will relentlessly push the government for immediate action to bring the Flinders Highway up to the standard we in the North deserve,” Mr Katter said.

Photo: Robbie Katter MP and Mayor Kate Peddle – Flinders Shire