Source: NGARKAT HIGHWAY, NGARKAT (Grass Fire)

CATHERINE KING MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT: Well, good, okay, thanks, everybody. I’m Catherine King. I’m the Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, and I’m delighted to be here, joined today by my Queensland counterpart, Brent Mickelberg. 

We’ve been working very closely together since the election of the Queensland Crisafulli Government to make sure we honour the commitment that Prime Minister Albanese and I, and the Treasurer made just down the road from here in Gympie back in January this year, that we’re going to fix the Bruce Highway.

Our $7.2 billion commitment now also contributed to by the Queensland Government, bringing it up to a $9 billion Bruce Highway safety package. And we’re delighted to be here today in Bauple with the early works package well and truly underway.

What we’re trying to do with this package is to improve, particularly the widening of the road, intersections, so improving behind us, right hand and left hand turning lanes, making sure that we can get this road as safe as we possibly can.

We know on the Bruce Highway, this is unfinished business for both levels of government, where we want to make sure that we see a reduction in road deaths on this highway.

It was a tragedy that last year we saw over 42 people die along the Bruce Highway.

This is affecting communities right the way along the highway, families who have not had loved ones at their Christmas table, communities that are affected every time this happens, emergency service workers as well. 

So, this $9 billion package is really starting to get underway.

Announced in January, we announced the $9 billion.

Back in March, I think it was, we announced the fairly first tranche was out for tender, and here we are with construction well and truly underway.

I want to particularly acknowledge the Queensland minister, Brent, for the work that he’s done, but also TMR, I know that many of the people who are working on this road live locally, live in this community, so they are building safety for not just their families, but generations of families to come, I’ll hand over to the state minister.

QUEENSLAND MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS BRENT MICKELBERG: Thank you very much.

Brett Mickelberg, Minister for Transport and Main Roads. 

Well, it’s tremendous to be here today with the Federal Minister, showcasing the work that is happening here on the Bruce Highway. 

We’re really, really pleased that we’re able to get work underway to make the Bruce Highway better and safer.

And these works here at Bauple are just one of 16 projects up and down the Bruce Highway part of the $200 million early works package.

I’ve got another $100 million of work going underway in relation to designing future stages of work here on the Bruce Highway.

And we simply cannot accept that the spine of Queensland the Bruce Highway can be dangerous.

As the minister said, 42 people lost their lives on the Bruce Highway last year.

We won’t accept that.

As the Queensland Government, I know the federal government have the same view as well, and our communities expect us to deliver a safe and resilient Bruce Highway, and that’s exactly what we are focused on doing. Hand in hand with the federal government, we’re really pleased that the federal government have listened to our call for 80:20 funding and the $7.2 billion commitment from the federal government, along with the $1.8 billion commitment from the Queensland Government, will make a meaningful difference to making the Bruce Highway safer. 

Over 60% of Queensland has used the Bruce Highway every single year, and I know Queenslanders understand how important this road is, both to our economy but also to our communities, and I want to reassure people that the Queensland Government understand that as well.

We’re focused with getting on with the job.

All of the money in this $9 billion package will be spent north of Gympie.

All of it will be spent upgrading safety and capacity on the Bruce Highway.

And I think it’s also important to note that this is just one part of our commitment to the Bruce Highway.

We’re also doing additional work, both in relation to the disaster recovery works after recent disaster impacts, but also building capacity up and down the Bruce Highway on those important areas that simply can’t cope with the volume of traffic on the Bruce Highway.

So it’s a really pleasing day to be able to stand here with the federal minister getting on with the job of building a better Bruce Highway, happy to take any questions.

JOURNALIST: So there’s aspects of widening the lane, but is there actually possibilities to double lane majority of the Bruce Highway?

BRENT MICKELBERG: So this package is about upgrading safety on the Bruce Highway, so things like wide centre line treatment, overtaking lanes, rest areas, intersection upgrades, pavement strengthening, those areas of the highway that are simply unsafe to drive on because the pavement is not up to the required standard.

That’s what this work will deliver.

While we’re doing that, we’re always mindful of ensuring that wherever we build these upgrades, they’re going to be able to future proof as well.

So, in areas where, for example, we might be able to build overtaking lanes off the existing line of traffic to then potentially down the track be duplicated, that’s also areas that the work that is going on within the Bruce Highway upgrade program office to ensure that whatever we do through this massive program effort lasts for the long term as well. 

JOURNALIST: How are you determining these areas of the Bruce Highway [indistinct]

BRENT MICKELBERG:  Sorry, yeah, great question.

So, one of the commitments we made before the last state election was to re-establish the Bruce Highway Advisory Council.

We’ve had two meetings of the Bruce Highway Advisory Council already, and I’m really pleased the federal minister attended the last meeting I attended and chaired it as well.

We’ve had involvement with the federal government at each of those meetings that we’ve had.

So on the Bruce Highway Advisory Council, we have industry representatives, people like the Queensland Trucking Association, the RACQ local government representation through the Local Government Association of Queensland.

But perhaps even more importantly, we have local representatives from each of the regions that the Bruce Highway passes through, and we’ve used that body to talk about how we can make the Bruce better. 

So, it’s not just about building a better Bruce, it’s also about how we can manage the highway better.

And at our last meeting in Rockhampton, we worked through what are the current issues on the Bruce Highway, and how can we best allocate this money to get the best bang for our buck in building a better Bruce.

We literally went through from north to south and looked at each of the different sections of the Bruce Highway.

What are the issues, what are the priorities?

And off the back of that input, the Bruce Highway upgrade program office within my department, have then worked up a package of works.

Now this initial work that we’ve got on with already is projects that had already been advanced and were ready to go.

We just didn’t have funding for so we’re able to pull the trigger on them quite quickly.

The next package of works are things where we’ve had to do the design work and we’re going to get on with the job in relation to fixing those projects as well.

What we want to see is a rolling package of works over coming years, where local contractors in particular, can deliver a lot of this work.

So, a lot of work has been done in relation to the procurement method to ensure that, rather than give all of this money to one big contractor, we can ensure that local involvement is a big part of this program as well.

And we think that’s a really important contributor to our regional economies, but also important message to our communities, as the Minister spoke about, many of the people working on these projects live in these communities, and they understand the challenges, and it’s great to see upgrades which will benefit not just the regional communities, but all Queenslanders who use the Bruce Highway so frequently.

JOURNALIST: And just here locally, these works that are underway now, is there a rough timeline as to when they’ll be complete? 

BRENT MICKELBERG: Look, there’s about another 12 months of work here at this particular site.

I think it’s really important to know, and it was remiss me not to say we have tragically lost lives on this section of the Bruce Highway.

So, these upgrades will make the Bruce Highway safer, and we want to see a reduction.

We want to see zero lives lost on the Bruce Highway.

That’s ultimately the goal.

But look, there will be inconvenience to motorists as we do these works.

I want to acknowledge that inconvenience, but I just ask motorists to be patient with us as we work to build a better Bruce Highway.

JOURNALIST: [indistinct]

BRENT MICKELBERG: Yeah, look, I was really pleased to be able to meet with the Tiaro community a couple of months ago now, with John Barounis and the federal member here as well to listen to their concerns in relation to the current highway through Tiaro, it’s well acknowledged that it doesn’t have the capacity and there have been significant safety issues.

And every peak period of the year, whether it’s Christmas or Easter or the school holidays.

Tiaro is a well known bottleneck, and hence why the Tiaro bypass is so necessary.

It’ll also build flood immunity as well into this section of the Bruce Highway.

So, we committed, as part of our 2032 delivery plan to delivering the Tiaro Bypass.

We expect to go to procurement, early stage procurement in early 2026 and we will be working with the federal government in relation to the environmental approvals and future stages for that project.

But I want to make it really, really clear, we’re committed to delivering the Tiaro Bypass.

We know how important it is to build capacity into this part of the Bruce Highway and also to deliver those safety upgrades. It’s not tenable to have heavy vehicles such as those we see passing behind us going through school zones and areas like Tiaro.

You’ve got a pedestrian crossing there, every time someone wants to use it, it creates a traffic jam.

That’s what the Tiaro Bypass will fix, and we’re focused with getting on with the job of delivering those important upgrades. 

JOURNALIST: And the notorious Walker Street intersection [indistinct] what was the process of that?

Because originally there was a roundabout.

What’s the update? 

BRENT MICKELBERG: Yeah.

Look, we’ve, I think I’ve gone to Walker Street about four times since I became the minister.

Look, the reason it’s such a focal point is tragically, they’ve been lives lost there in recent years, and we’re focused on delivering upgrades to the Walker Street intersection.

It is unsafe as it sits right now, and what do those upgrades look like?

Well, that works currently underway.

That design work is underway.

What I want to see is a solution that will ensure that we don’t have a repeat of multiple lives lost at that intersection, as has happened a couple of years ago.

It’s something that John Barounis, our local state MP, has been campaigning for very strongly, both before the election, and one of the reasons I’ve been there four times since the election is because John is incredibly passionate to deliver this for his community.

We know it’s a genuine safety risk, and we know it is also an important upgrade that will support the Maryborough community. 

And we will come back to the community once we have those finalised designs on what it looks like. 

JOURNALIST: So, the 60 kilometre is kind of a temporary fix at the moment? 

BRENT MICKELBERG: Yeah, look, obviously we make we change speed limits to mitigate risk wherever it’s deemed necessary.

And having lost lives there at that particular intersection in recent times, those decisions have been made with the with the recommender on the recommendations of a road safety experts and engineers. 

What I want to see in the long term is a solution that makes that section of road safer, and not just mitigations that reduce the risk right now. 

JOURNALIST: Are you able to take questions on something else? 

BRENT MICKELBERG: Yeah, okay, or if you’ve got anything else on this? Yep, what else have you got for me? 

JOURNALIST: Your response to the CFMEU protests entering their second day?

BRENT MICKELBERG: Well, I think Queenslanders have had enough of the CFMEU and their bullying and thuggery, and that was recognised with the decision of the High Court two days ago.

The CFMEU need to get on with the job of building the infrastructure that we need here in Queensland. Queenslanders are not going to tolerate the intimidation and the approach taken by the CFMEU over recent days.

The Queensland Government are not going to tolerate that behaviour.

It’s one of the reasons that we removed the CFMEU tax, the BPIC CFMEU tax in November, and we have also removed and reintroduced 24 hour right to entry provisions so they cannot be using those disruptive and bullying tactics on job sites.

I will not stand by and watch CFMEU thugs intimidate workers who are just trying to get on with their job, and I will not stand by and watch CFMEU thugs disrupting our commuters in Brisbane.

This is nothing more than a dummy spit by the CFMEU because the court ruled correctly that their conduct was unacceptable, and my message to the CFMEU is, get back on with the job.

JOURNALIST: And how much does each day of this lost work actually cost?

BRENT MICKELBERG: Well, we know there’s a massive program of works required here in Queensland already underway, big jobs, but also smaller jobs as well.

And there is a real cost to the disruptive and bullying behaviour by the CFMEU.

If I look at the Centenary Bridge upgrade, a large project on the western side of Brisbane, the actions of the CFMEU.

And I’m not going to quantify it in terms of dollars, but it is multiple millions of dollars that the CFMEU have added to the cost of that project.

We have had to hire additional security because workers were unsafe and not thought they were unsafe.

They were unsafe.

We have had workers threatened by CFMEU on that job site.

I want to make it really clear, the majority of our construction workers just want to get on with the job and deliver the infrastructure that we need here in Queensland.

It is that small minority of CFMEU thugs who are deliberately trying to destroy productivity here in Queensland and across Australia, and we won’t stand for it.

JOURNALIST: So, you said just that one project is millions of dollars.

How about all those other projects across the state?

A rough figure at all?

BRENT MICKELBERG: Well, as I said, I’m not going to put a dollar figure on it, but you can see through the delays that have occurred under the former government and what we’re dealing with now, the cost is in the many millions of dollars due to the CFMEU’s conduct.

And it is their business model.

Let’s be very clear, they rely on disrupting job sites in order to be able to get the outcomes that they seek.

Now, I have no problem with unions who want to conduct themselves and advocate for their members in accordance with the law.

Unions are an important stakeholder in Queensland’s industrial relations environment, but the CFMEU.

And I will single out the CFMEU, the conduct of the CFMEU relies on bullying and thuggery, and we will not accept that here in Queensland. 

JOURNALIST: Do you think anyone will actually feel sympathy towards these workers or just [indistinct]

BRENT MICKELBERG: Well, I suspect anyone sitting in traffic just trying to get to work today in Brisbane or across Queensland will only feel resentment towards the CFMEU for their conduct, and let’s be clear, they did it yesterday.

They tried to make their point yesterday.

They’re going to do it again today, and no doubt, they’ll continue with this campaign of trying to disrupt and cause fear in our community.

We’ve seen instances where people have been assaulted on job sites by CFMEU thugs in recent months here in Queensland, we won’t stand by and let this continue.

It’s why we took action quickly upon forming government, and we’ll continue to ensure that our job sites are safe and that the community are able to go about their business, getting to work, getting on with the job, just as they should be able to.

And if the CFMEU are genuinely committed to trying to build the things that we need here in Queensland, the message is just get on with the job.

Get back on the tools. Get on with the job, and Queenslanders will recognise that as it sits right now, I think all they’re doing is driving people away from their course. 

JOURNALIST: [indistinct]

BRENT MICKELBERG: Look, we have an ongoing conversation with the federal government in relation to the priorities that we are delivering through the program of works here in Queensland.

As I made it clear on Tuesday when I spoke about the format that QTRIP will be reported in, we are making some changes in order to drive better value for money for the taxpayer, and we’re working collaboratively with the federal government to deliver projects here in Queensland, but we also deliver a lot of projects that are not federally funded as well.

And ultimately, my job as the Minister for Transport and Main Roads, is to ensure that we deliver on those priorities, those commitments we took to the Queensland public before the last election, things like the Bruce Highway upgrade program, the Olympics infrastructure required to deliver a successful games in 2032 in relation to the transport projects, that’s my focus, and we’ve been very clear with Queenslanders that that will require us to make some hard decisions in relation to potentially delaying projects that we might have otherwise done.

But I want to make it really clear there will be no cuts in QTRIP next week.

What we need to do is manage a program.

We commissioned an independent reviewer, Rodd Staples to give us advice on the best way to deliver the significant program of works here in Queensland.

QTRIP next week will be the largest QTRIP Queensland’s ever seen.

So that that is without doubt, and it will only grow in coming years, as well as we need to build more as we approach 2032 we’ve made some commitments in relation to the Bruce Highway here.

We’ve said that this work will be done, and we want it done as soon as possible, but that, but if everything is a priority, nothing is a priority, and my job as the Minister of Transport and Main Roads is to manage all of those works, ensuring that we address the critical concerns and those commitments we made, and we’ll be open and transparent with Queenslanders as we do that.

JOURNALIST: For the project, should there be details [indistinct]?

BRENT MICKELBERG: Well, in relation to I take you referring to the changes we’ve made in QTRIP?

So what we’ve one of the recommendations we received was that we needed to drive better competition, better competitive tension in the pre-tendering stage, or in the tendering stage.

Once a contract is awarded, we’re going to publish that number, and Queenslanders will be able to see that in black and white on QTRIP.

But what we don’t want to do is signal to contractors that we’re prepared to pay a certain amount.

No one goes and to a builder and says, Hey, I’ve got $500,000 to build new house.

What can you build for me?

You say, I’d like a four bedroom house with two bathrooms.

What’s the cost?

And that’s what we’ve been doing today.

We’ve been saying, Hey, I’ve got $500,000 to build a new house.

What can you build for me?

That’s not where we need to be.

And the advice that we received from Rodd Staples was the that was that this would introduce better competitive tension.

We’re still going to be signalling to the market that this is the kind of job that they’ll be able to compete for, that this sits within the price bracket of jobs and capability that they’re capable of bidding on, and we’re still going to be engaging with industry face to face as we as we have done over recent months as well.

So this is just one part of trying to restore value for money for the taxpayer, respecting taxpayer, respecting taxpayer dollars.

And my job, we made some really clear commitments around being open and transparent.

I’ll be publishing the contracted amount for these projects.

You’ll see it next week in QTRIP.

But what I’m not going to do is destroy value for money for the taxpayer by signalling to the market beforehand that we’re prepared to pay more than they might otherwise be able to build some of these jobs for. 

JOURNALIST: For e-scooters, RACQ has made a submission to the state’s e-mobility safety inquiry, calling on the government to urgently address safety concerns.

What’s your response to this submission? 

BRENT MICKELBERG: Well, I welcome RACQ’s submission to the e-mobility inquiry.

The reason we established the inquiry is it’s very clear there’s considerable community concern, whether it’s e-bikes or e-scooters or other e-mobility devices.

Community concern in Queensland is justified.

Tragically, eight people lost their lives using these devices on Queensland footpaths and roads last year, and we’ve seen a considerable increase in the number of people being injured as well, over 100% increase between 2021 and 2024 so we had to do something different.

This inquiry is about listening to the voices of the community.

RACQ are a really important stakeholder when it comes to the use of these devices, and obviously, road safety matters, and I welcome their submission, but so too, and I’d encourage those, albeit submissions close today, but I would encourage people to make a submission to the inquiry, whether it is the family who’s concerned about what it might mean for their children getting to and from school, or medical experts who have had to deal with the fall out of injuries and potentially fatalities as a consequence of e-mobility devices.

Anyone who has an opinion in relation to this matter should make a submission to the e-mobility inquiry.

We will also, after those submissions have been received, be doing public hearings up and down the Queensland coast and across Queensland to ensure that people have an opportunity to have their say.

We’ll listen to those recommendations of the committee and we’ll act on them when we receive them, and I think that’s what Queenslanders expect. 

JOURNALIST: I just have one more question, yeah, on the secret polling.

So over half a million dollars to spend on behalf of research [indistinct].

Why did the government spend more than half a million dollars on secret polling [indistinct]? 

BRENT MICKELBERG: Look, I think it’s really important that we are listening to the voices of Queenslanders, and part of that is doing quantitative research and qualitative research.

Another part is things like the parliamentary inquiry in relation to e-mobility I just mentioned.

So, we will use whatever tools are available to us to listen to the voices of Queenslanders and then act on them.

This is one tool, but it’s only one part of the way that Queensland Government listen to the community and then act on their concerns, 

JOURNALIST: [indistinct] pushing the Labor party [indistinct] to release their results to the market research.

Do you think that the Crisafulli government should do the same? 

BRENT MICKELBERG: Well, we made it very clear that we intend to be open and transparent with Queenslanders.

The premier has made that very clear to me as the Minister for Transport and Main Roads, that wherever possible, we should be releasing information, and we’re committed to do that.

JOURNALIST: Would you be able to provide a response on those CFMEU [indistinct]

CATHERINE KING: Yeah, well, certainly, you know, we were very pleased, and you would have seen Amanda Rishworth, the Industrial Relations Minister.

We’ve welcomed the High Court decision, which has upheld the legislative basis on which the Commonwealth has moved to put the CFMEU into administration.

We have no tolerance for illegal activity within the union movement, and certainly not on any of our building sites.

I understand that people are not happy about that decision, but that is the decision of the High Court, and it allows now the administrator to get on with their job with surety, because we want people to have safe workplaces.

We want people to come into the construction industry.

We want to grow the industry.

We want it to be a place where people get decent pay and conditions, but we don’t want it to be a hotbed for illegal activity, for bullying or behaviour that we have seen, and what has caused the CFMEU to be put into administration in the first place.

So, my message really clearly, is that, you know, construction workers want jobs.

They want safe, secure jobs.

They want to go home to their families.

They don’t want to see the sort of activity we saw from the CFMEU that put it into administration in the first place.

And protesting the decision of a high court?

Well, that’s a decision for the people who are protesting, but I don’t think that it’s particularly helpful in getting the building industry back into actually being an industry that is a safe, secure and great place for people to work.

JOURNALIST: What funding will the federal government provide for transport and infrastructure [indistinct]  

CATHERINE KING: Well, we are already providing $27 billion of infrastructure here in Queensland, more than any other state in the country.

And then, in addition to that, our $3.4 billion package of games infrastructure is being delivered as well.

On transport infrastructure, of that $27 billion there’s $12 billion already going into transport infrastructure.

We don’t have a budget until next year.

States and territories across the country continue to put their transport bids to us, and we’ll work with state governments on that, but we’re already doing a lot here in Queensland. 

JOURNALIST: I just have some questions from Canberra.

Is the government happy with how the social media age range trial is working? 

CATHERINE KING: Well, obviously, we’ve seen reports today around the social media trial that will now go to the E-Safety Commissioner for her to have a look at we do think, as you’ve heard us say, you know, this is a really important commitment that we have made, to really clean up the safety of social media for particularly young people and our teenagers.

And that work is continuing, but the trial work, the results of that will now go to the E-Safety Commissioner, and we’ll have more to say once she’s had a look at it.

JOURNALIST: After that trial has been complete, is it still the same plan to have that implemented by December?

CATHERINE KING: Certainly, that’s my understanding from the Minister, but you’d need to direct that question directly to Minister Wells the Minister for Communication.

JOURNALIST: And now we discuss some questions about Rex. 

CATHERINE KING: Yep.

JOURNALIST: How close do you think we are to finding a successful [indistinct] Rex?

CATHERINE KING: Well, we know that it’s progressing really positively in terms of the administration.

They have narrowed the bidders in terms of the commercial bidders for Rex, but they have asked the federal court for some additional time to get that work finalised.

That will be a matter for the federal court, in order to make sure that that actually occurs, we’ll await the decision of the federal court, but it has been, as I understand it, from the administrators, progressing positively. 

JOURNALIST: And if we take that kind of turn, how close is the government to taking over and maybe even bailing it out?

CATHERINE KING: Well, as we’ve said, really clearly, we’re in a voluntary administration process at the moment.

What we have said, you know, it’s unusual for a government to engage itself in an administration of what is a private company, but we know how important Rex is to regional aviation.

In some areas, it is the only airline that actually flies in to a community, and so we have stepped in to assist in the administration to get an outcome.

Our preference has always been for a commercial outcome, and that’s what the administration is aimed to.

But we have clearly said, if that is not able to be delivered, we will then step in, but we’re still in the process of the voluntary administration and seeking a commercial outcome at the moment.

JOURNALIST: And what do you expect Rex 2.0 to look like?

CATHERINE KING: Well, I want to see it continue to fly into the regions.

I’d like to see at some point it expand its services.

But at the moment, we’re in the decision making process of a voluntary administration to keep Rex going, but what the Commonwealth has been at pains to do is ensure that we provided a guarantee to Rex passengers, that they could continue looking with surety to continue to get those services.

And I’m incredibly grateful to the many loyal Rex customers who continue to use the airline, continue to book with surety, because that has allowed the possibility of a commercial opportunity for Rex to continue, and we’re really pleased to have been able to provide that continue to give my message that that guarantee is in place.

Continue to book with surety as we work our way through the administration process.

JOURNALIST: And do you see issues arising with the airline’s aging fleet and Saab aircraft?

Quite a few have been out of service for a while? 

CATHERINE KING: Yeah, well, obviously that is one of the issues that any potential bidder has had to consider.

I think the aging fleet, you know, Saabs are aging everywhere, so that is certainly one of the issues that any potential bidder has had to put into place, about what does fleet extension and fleet renewal – what does that look like? And that’s really been an important part, I know of the administrators assessing each of the bids as they’ve come forward.

ENDS

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