The Palaszczuk Government is pretending to bring forward funding through a program that stalled in its first year, leaving a huge gap in the pipeline of infrastructure projects delivered in rural and regional communities across the Wide Bay-Burnett region. The announcement that $70 million would be made available for Round 3 of Labor’s disastrous Building our Regions program can be met with skepticism by local councils. Despite claiming they ‘topped up’ the Building our Regions program in last year’s state budget, it still falls a huge $120 million dollars short of the former LNP Government’s landmark $495 million Royalties for Regions program.
The Palaszczuk Government’s program is an insignificant and cheap replacement for the LNP’s hugely successful Royalties for Regions program and it has failed dismally to deliver much needed infrastructure projects and jobs in the bush.
Labor’s smaller, shorter and narrower program stalled in its first year, with the Palaszczuk Government’s own 2016-17 budget papers revealing the Building our Regions program had a 99 per cent underspend in its first year – it was a flop.
Annastacia Palaszczuk can’t turn around now and say she is bringing forward Round 3 when Round 1 never really happened and no-one knows where Round 2 is up to – Labor is tripping over the paperwork, but can’t deliver any projects.
Labor’s Building our Regions program has been a disaster for local communities and councils.
The LNP has committed to reinstating its effective Royalties for Regions program if it is returned to office at the next state election.
Projects delivered to the Callide Electorate through the LNP’s Royalties for Regions program:
- Splinter Creek Bridge Replacement – $1.5 million
- Gayndah, Monto and Mundubbera Aerodrome upgrades – $13.2 million
- Monto-Mount Perry Road project – $15.8 million
- Theodore Sewage Treatment Plant – $2 million
- Eidsvold Theodore Road upgrade – $12 million
- Baralaba Water Treatment Plant – $4.5 million
- Banana Reservoir and Town Pump – $1.7 million
- Kingaroy Waste Water Treatment Plant upgrade – $10 million
- Bears Lagoon Road Moura – $275,260
- Clark & Swendson Road Intersection, Kingaroy – $1.5 million
- South Burnett Rail Trail – $2 million
- Injune Taroom Road upgrade – $7 million
