Media Release

5 July 2018: Mr Katter says, “ KAP Federal Candidate for Leichhardt Dan McCarthy has contacted me to advise that there has been a major accident in Cape York overnight, on the Peninsula Developmental Road (PDR)“.

Mr Katter fears there will be more accidents due to dangerous conditions, a lack of road maintenance and increased traffic. KAP’s thoughts are with those involved in the serious collision.

The ABC is reporting that five people, including a three-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy, are in hospital after the head-on crash and paramedics say the children, as well as two women aged 33 and 82 and a 40-year-old man, were injured in a crash on the PDR at Archer River at 8.15pm.

KAP Leader and the Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter says, “The Government has no difficulty in finding $5.5 billion for yet another tunnel in Brisbane whilst people are being injured and dying on the PDR in the most terrible of accidents and driving in the most dangerous of conditions. If it’s dry and dusty you can’t see – people simply can’t drive at 20km/h. At this time of year, there are extraordinarily high numbers of tourists too.

“We will be making representations to the Federal Government authorities to say that the money that is coming down and being used for roads needs to be tied grants because it’s not being used properly by the State Government. I mean to give $5.5 billion for a tunnel that will allow maybe 5000 people to get home three minutes earlier to watch the television compared with the population with tourists of over 10 000 people in the upper Peninsula being cut off for long periods of time during the wet season.”.

Dan McCarthy, KAP candidate for Leichhardt, is currently in Weipa with Mr Katter and is sorry to hear about another serious accident on the PDR.

Mr McCarthy says, “This is the end of the line. We are committed to making sure the remainder of the PDR Cairns to Weipa is sealed. There’s only been dribs and drabs of funding from the LNP over the last 20 years for the PDR.
“Under the Labor Government, Anthony Albanese committed $200 million in 2013 (after pressure from Mr Katter) and that money has been rolled out.

“Today we are announcing a commitment to get the funding from whoever forms Government at the next Federal election to ensure the jobs gets done.

“I estimate $250 million will seal the last 210 kilometres of dirt that will remain after the current funding dries up. Our commitment includes widening the dangerously narrow bridges on already sealed sections and putting a bridge over the Jardine River and a bridge over the Laura River on the northern side of town.

“The enormous wear and tear on freight trucks causes huge added costs to freight which has to be passed onto the people. Sealing the PDR will alleviate this.

“KAP’s commitment will aim to employ locals to do the works. This project has the potential to bring good opportunities to the people of Cape York.".