A duplication of the Linkfield Road overpass will bust congestion and improve safety at a notorious bottleneck in Brisbane’s north

A duplication of the Linkfield Road overpass will bust congestion and improve safety at a notorious bottleneck in Brisbane’s north

The overpass currently forces vehicles to merge from two lanes to one before the Gympie Arterial Road on-ramp, frustrating thousands of motorists on a daily basis.

Federal LNP Member for Petrie Luke Howarth and Federal LNP Member for Dickson Peter Dutton have been fighting for funding to bring the duplication to fruition and have received thousands of signatures to a petition in support of the upgrade.

Today the Liberal and Nationals Government announced a commitment of up to $100 million to help fund 80 per cent of the works.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the upgrade would make sure that local motorists aren’t stuck in traffic while doing the school run and traveling to and from work.

“We are focused on congestion busting upgrades which get people out of traffic so that they can spend more time with their families in the morning and at night,” the Prime Minister said.

“This upgrade has long been called for by local residents and they have been extremely well supported by their Federal LNP Members in Luke Howarth and Peter Dutton.

“Luke and Peter have been campaigning for this critical upgrade for months and because of our efforts to build a stronger economy we are able to back them in.

“Now it’s up to the Queensland Labor Government to get on-board so work can start as soon as possible.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the upgrade would improve safety in the area.

“We know the accident and near-miss rate at the northbound highway connection to the Gympie Arterial Road is a major issue,” Mr McCormack said.

“This upgrade will create a safer overpass and bust the congestion that motorists endure was they merge from two lanes into one.”

Federal LNP Member for Petrie Luke Howarth said the upgrade would be welcomed by motorists who regularly travel on the overpass.

“This upgrade will remove a significant bottleneck that has been a source of great frustration,” Mr Howarth said.

“In particular, it will reduce driving time for the thousands of motorists who access the Gympie Arterial Road and Bruce Highway from Linkfield Road, getting them home to their families sooner and safer.”

Federal LNP Member for Dickson Peter Dutton said the upgrade would include an in-depth planning phase.

“The exact scope of this upgrade will be investigated as part of the planning process and I look forward to seeing the overpass transformed to be safer and more efficient part of the road network,” Mr Dutton said.

“This is a great outcome for the Linkfield Road overpass campaign which Luke and I launched in March this year and is a well-deserved reward for the thousands of people who signed the petition and contributed their time and voice to this worthy issue.”

The $100 million commitment to the Linkfield Road overpass builds on a commitment of $150 million for northbound entry and southbound exit points at the Dohles Rocks Road interchange on the Bruce Highway.

The Palaszczuk Labor Government is yet to commit its 20 per cent contribution to the Dohles Rocks Road interchange project and will also be asked to fund 20 per cent of the costs to duplicate the Linkfield Road overpass.

In total, the Federal Liberal Nationals Government has committed $10 billion to upgrade the Bruce Highway corridor as part of an overall $20.5 billion commitment to transport infrastructure in Queensland since 2013.

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Backing Queensland’s Bait Prawn Industry


The Liberal National Government is supporting jobs in the Queensland bait prawn industry as it works to recover from an outbreak of white spot syndrome virus.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said $5 million over three years will be shared among local organisations to help keep our country free of the virus.

The funding will also be used to educate commercial and recreational fishers on the risk of not using commercial bait.

“The bait prawn industry plays an import role here in Queensland and we want to make sure these businesses survive and keep employing locals,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

“We want to help get rid of this virus so fisherman down the coast here can get back to business as usual.”

Queensland’s continuing efforts to control and contain the disease mean uncooked prawns, including those used for bait, are unable to be moved outside of the affected area until they are treated.

Industry, Science and Technology Minister Karen Andrews said the Queensland bait prawn industry is experiencing significant losses in revenue, affecting the livelihoods of Australian fisherman, both in Queensland and interstate.

“The white spot outbreak area extends from Caloundra to the NSW border and west to Ipswich where the greasyback prawn is found,” Minister Karen Andrews said.

“This is a common bait for recreational fishers, and the Coalition is helping to stamp this virus out.”

“The Coalition is working to support the local prawn farming industry and jobs through this funding allocation.”

The white spot syndrome virus is a highly contagious infection that affects crustaceans, such as prawns, crabs and yabbies.

There is no impact to human health, so Australians are encouraged to support the local seafood industry, particularly over the Christmas period, by continuing to buy and eat Australian seafood.

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Clubhouse extension for the Peninsula Power F.C.

Clubhouse extension for the Peninsula Power F.C.

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New change rooms for the Sandgate Hawks

New change rooms for the Sandgate Hawks

Federal Member for Petrie, Luke Howarth MP and Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie, Minister for Regional Services, Sport and Local Government, today announced $300,000 for the Sandgate Hawks.

Luke Howarth MP said “today’s announcement is a big win for the Sandgate Hawks. The 45 year old change room will be gutted and refitted with new locker room facilities, showers and training areas.”

Spectators and players will also now have access to a toilet block close to the playing field.

With a big increase in female participation at the Club, the Sandgate Hawks wanted to ensure all players had access to private dressing rooms.

“This is great news for the Sandgate Hawks! Growing up in Bracken Ridge, my family have always had a lot to do with the Club and I’m thrilled to have been able to help the Committee secure funding,” said Luke Howarth MP.

AFL Queensland CEO, Dean Warren welcomed the news at this morning’s announcement.

Across Queensland, there were 39 successful projects in total receiving funding – with the total investment over $6,400,000.

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