Over the past few months, I’ve outlined the increasing chaos and crisis that plagues the Palaszczuk Labor Government. Another indicator that this government has lost control is their increasing inability to deliver what they announce. It’s almost like they believe the announcement is enough. Sadly, your current Member for Pumicestone appears to be having trouble delivering on her promises too.
I’ve shared before the very obvious example of the much-promised ‘Bribie Hospital’. Your local member had sign after sign up during the last election selling it as a ‘hospital’ just to get your vote! But you all now know, it’s nothing more than a community day clinic with no overnight beds and no emergency department – meaning Bribie Island locals will need to continue to make the 30-minute trip down the road to Caboolture.
Unfortunately, the false announcements by the Member for Pumicestone are not confined to health services. You’ve also been led down the ‘garden path’ on road infrastructure projects.
Let’s look at Bribie Island Road, where progress on upgrades has been sluggish at best and the state government has only managed to finalise traffic lights at the Old Toorbul Point intersection – a project that started before the current member was even elected in October 2020.
When those lights at the Old Toorbul Point Road intersection were switched on back in August 2021, your member told you, “But we’re not stopping there. The next stage of the upgrade will meet up with the dual lanes past Saint Road. Design work has already started.” Then on June 27, 2022, your member assured you that Stage 2 “will start construction” before the financial year ended. Well, the financial year has ended. Has construction started? No! And there have been no updates on progress, no explanation for the delays, no communication or plans shared with the community.
It appears the Member for Pumicestone has taken a leaf out of her premier’s playbook and just loves making the announcement, not actually delivery for her community.
Now before you think I might be being a bit harsh, don’t forget the Member for Pumicestone kicked up a huge stink when your federal Member for Longman, Terry Young, secured funding for the Hickey Road to King Johns Creek duplication. Apparently it wasn’t good enough that the federal government committed $10 million dollars for a state road. The Member for Pumicestone was most upset that $6.5 million of that wasn’t allocated until 2025-26 onwards.
Based on the Palaszczuk Government’s track record on delivering road projects when they say they will, including projects on Bribie Island Road, I reckon Terry was right on the money. I honestly can’t see this state government delivering anything between Hickey Road and King Johns Creek before 2025.
However, let’s assume miracles could happen and they could do the work sooner. In January 2022, your member ‘announced’ a federal Labor government would bring forward that funding. The federal Labor government has now delivered two budgets. Have they brought forward that funding? Nope! Has the Member for Pumicestone reminded her Labor mates in Canberra to bring the funding forward? Clearly not.
So it’s obvious the Member for Pumicestone knows her protests were like her announcements – nothing more than hot air.
It’s common knowledge that on hot weekends and when major events are on, Bribie Island Road becomes a car park. Just earlier this month, the Abbey Museum held another hugely successful medieval festival and catered for thousands flocking to the Abbey on Old Toorbul Point Road. But congestion was bumper to bumper for hours because of this single lane section of Bribie Island Road. By making this section dual lanes, Bribie Island Road will become less of a car park during peak periods and will get you home sooner and safer.
Your member needs to be transparent with you about the status of the Bribie Island Road upgrades and explain why you continue to endure traffic jam after traffic jam when works that were promised two years ago and budgeted 12 months ago, have not even seen a shovel in the ground since.
The Member for Pumicestone and the Palaszczuk Government need to stop announcing and start delivering.
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