Anthony Albanese announces $7.2bn in funding for Queensland’s Bruce Highway in first major election promise
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Federal government to fund 80% of upgrades with state paying for 20%, despite previously vowing to split infrastructure projects 50-50. In the first major promise of the election year, Anthony Albanese has announced $7.2bn in funding for Queensland’s Bruce Highway.
The federal government will fund 80% of the upgrades, with the state funding 20%. In 2023 the infrastructure minister, Catherine King, sparked a war of words with the then Labor-led sunshine state by defunding $449.5m in transport projects and announcing an end to the default 80-20 funding split.
King said the change would “end the perverse incentives that saw the Federal Coalition throw money at projects that states did not want to build”. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email. In an announcement outside Gympie on Monday, the prime minister denied the new funding was a backflip or that it would undermine the 50-50 split in future.
“The figures are quite horrific,” he said. “Forty-one fatalities on the Bruce Highway in 2024. “That’s why this is a priority. That’s why we’re singling out this highway above all others to contribute 80% funding rather than the 50% that is standard across other road and rail projects.”.
Flanked by two Queenslanders, the federal treasurer, Jim Chalmers, and the minister for employment, Murray Watt, Albanese said the decision was not about political benefit. “Someone said to me, ‘Why are you making the first announcement of this year in the electorate of Wide Bay? It’s not a target seat,’” he said. “That’s because I’m determined to represent all Australians, regardless of where they live.”.
