Bob Katter

In today’s Cairns Post (04/02/2022), Minister Bailey said, “If Bob Katter was truly serious about solutions, he should do his job in Canberra and actually secure some more serious federal funding for the Far North.”

“We’ve had to do many projects alone, like the $164 million Smithfield Bypass, which the Palaszczuk Labor Government fully funded without a dollar from Canberra who prefer to pick fights with the states.”[1]

Mr Katter has said that the Minister’s statement is outrageous on a number of fronts.

“Firstly, the Smithfield Bypass is in the Leichhardt Electorate and the Minister completely botched the design putting the overpass in the wrong place, rather than at the point where the Atherton/Mareeba traffic joins the Northern Beaches traffic,” Mr Katter said.

“Secondly, $2 billion has been spent on divided highway and overpasses between Gordonvale and the Cairns CBD, which is in the Kennedy Electorate, and was 80 percent funded by the Federal Government. Among other Far Northern projects funded heavily by the Federal Government is the Feluga intersection upgrade ($8 million) and the sealing of the key Hann Highway freight route which takes our fruit and vegetable product to Melbourne and Sydney.

“Thirdly, on multiple occasions I have written to the Queensland Transport Minister about this issue, and Shane Knuth has met with him in Parliament regarding making approaches to the Federal Government so that they can fund the engineering plans for a new road between Cairns and Mareeba/Atherton. The Federal Assistant Transport Minister, Scott Buchholz has indicated to me on numerous occasions that they are willing to look at funding but must have a request from the Queensland Minister as it is a Queensland Government highway route. This is not unreasonable and the Queensland Minister had not made any such request.” 

Highway 1, which the Federal Government is responsible for, ends at the Cairns Airport.

Mr Katter said if the Minister did not make a request of the Federal Government for funding for the planning of a new highway between Cairns and Mareeba/Atherton, then he would be failing in his duty as Minister and should resign.

“Everyone from Joe Moro (FNQ Growers), to Nick Trompf (Advance Cairns), Michael Kerr (FNQROC), Shane Knuth (Hill MP), the Member for Leichhardt, and the local media including the (Cairns Post, radio and tv stations) have publicly recognised the need for a new road,” Mr Katter said. 

“It is unacceptable that we have a highway that closes 44 times a year for an average of seven hours per closure. Clearly from the events of this week, everyone can realise that the Kuranda Road is not suitable for heavy vehicles and should be turned into a dedicated tourist road. Well maybe everyone other than the Minister.

“His Government has played a key role in the total destruction of Far North Queensland’s tourism industry. We need alternate industries in the Far North. The Bridle Track Tunnel will give us access to a port which will allow the Chillagoe Minerals Province to open up, and for farming to take place on the Gilbert, Mitchell and Flinders Rivers (Far North Queensland has seven of the 10 biggest rivers in Australia). 

“Cairns is a classic example being bound up so that it cannot grow. Two of the sugar mills feeding the Cairns region are doomed unless the new Bridle Track Tunnel is built.”



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  [1] https://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/a-smart-solution-to-get-us-up-and-down-the-kuranda-range-bailey/news-story/79b83635b70734adbc55e180053dcffd