Local road maintenance in the Fraser Coast, Cherbourg, South Burnett and Sunshine Coast will receive a boost thanks to funding under the Australian Government’s Roads to Recovery Program.
Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien said the Australian Government delivered $3,773,741 to local councils in Wide Bay in November as part of $171.1 million distributed to 344 local government authorities nationwide for safer and better-maintained roads.
“The Roads to Recovery funding in Wide Bay will allow councils across the area to make headway on a number of high-priority projects, using local knowledge to deliver the best local roads,” Mr O’Brien said.
“The Australian Government is committed to working with Councils to improve local road networks, getting Australians home sooner and safer, and this investment in infrastructure is more important than ever to create jobs as we work towards Australia’s economic recovery from COVID-19.”
Councils in Wide Bay have received the following Roads to Recovery payments and allocations:
- Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire received $90,318 in November for upgrades to Murgon to Cherbourg Road, Wondai Road, Murray Road, and Barambah Ave; and has been allocated $199,243 between 2019-20 and 2023-2024.
- South Burnett Regional Council received $1,560,071 in November for upgrades to Friebergs Road at Warnung, Nangur Road at Crownthorpe, Silverleaf Road and Annings Road at Murgon, Tipperary Road at Redgate, Carters Road at Tablelands, Bradleys, Freemans and Brand Roads at Wooroonden, Hetheringtons Road at Manyung, Wooroonden Road at Glenrock; and has been allocated $ 9,866,792 between 2019-20 and 2023-2024.
- Sunshine Coast Regional Council received $746,295 in November for upgrades to Eumarella Road at Weyba Downs, and has been allocated $18,268,834 between 2019-20 and 2023-2024.
- Fraser Coast Regional Council received $1,377,057 in November for works within the council area but outside the Wide Bay electorate; and has been allocated $9,560,283 between 2019-20 and 2023-2024.
- Gympie Regional Council has been allocated $6,809,008 between 2019-20 and 2023-2024 (no payment requested in November).
- Noosa Shire Council has been allocated $3,951,729 between 2019-20 and 2023-2024 (no payment requested in November).
Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister Kevin Hogan said the Australian Government has committed an additional $100 million per year to the Roads to Recovery Program from 2019–20, as part of the Local and State Government Road Safety Package announced in the 2019–20 Budget.
“From 2013–14 to 2023–24, the Government will provide $6.2 billion under the Roads to Recovery Program, with an ongoing commitment of $500 million each year following,” Mr Hogan said.
“We are investing in infrastructure nationwide in order to lay the foundations for economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Assisting local councils to maintain and improve roads under their jurisdiction is a big part of that, which is why we have also funded a new $1.5 billion Local Road and Community Infrastructure Program and brought forward $1.3 billion of the 2020–21 Financial Assistance Grant payment.”
Mr Hogan said Roads to Recovery investments deliver safer roads in local government areas throughout the country.
“In order to meet the anticipated strong demand for Roads to Recovery for 2020–21, the Australian Government has brought forward $22.75 million to be available to councils to claim this financial year, for a total of $592.18 million in 2020–21,” Mr Hogan said.
“The Australian Government supports local governments to provide vital infrastructure and services through a range of programs.
“This support includes Financial Assistance Grants and the Bridges Renewal, Black Spot, Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity and Roads to Recovery programs.”
More information on these programs is available at www.infrastructure.gov.au.
