Transport and Infrastructure

At more than 1.85 million square kilometres, Queensland is Australia’s second-largest state and larger in size than all but the world’s 15 largest nations. The enormous size of Queensland makes the provision of infrastructure and transport links critically important, and a real challenge. Compounding this challenge is the fact that by 2034, it’s anticipated that the state’s population will increase by about 20% to more than six million people.

There is a substantial backlog in the development and maintenance of Queensland’s huge network of highways and roads. Other infrastructure that is vital to the state’s future – particularly dams – has either been scrapped or put on hold.

Long-term infrastructure planning requires vision that looks beyond vote-buying at the next election. One Nation seeks to restore that long-term, nation-building vision to Queensland and ensure that it’s closely linked to the state’s future economic growth and prosperity. One Nation is also prioritising vital infrastructure in regional Queensland to facilitate efficient supply chains for key regional industries like mining, agriculture, and forestry; to promote road safety; to improve productivity, tourism, connectivity, and accessibility; and to ensure the regions receive support commensurate with their economic contributions to the state.

OUR POLICIES

Prioritising regional, rural and remote Queensland

To facilitate efficient supply chains and export paths for key regional industries like mining, agriculture, and forestry, One Nation will prioritise vital infrastructure in regional, rural, and remote Queensland by:

• supporting critical Queensland water projects like the $5.4 billion Hell’s Gate Dam;
• allocate appropriate levels of funding to address the backlog in maintenance and development of the regional, rural and remote highway and road network;
• support the extension of the proposed Melbourne-to-Brisbane Inland Rail project to the port at Gladstone; and
• promote true nation-building projects like Iron Boomerang, linking Queensland coal mines with Western Australian iron ore in the Pilbara to facilitate value-adding for both industries.

Streamlining development and improving planning

To streamline development and improve Queensland’s infrastructure planning, One Nation will:

• work to update the State Infrastructure Strategy 2022-24 with more focus on long term planning and economic development goals, and less focus on Labor vote-buying projects like the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games;
• simplify the approvals process to expedite vital projects and reduce bureaucratic delays; and
• establish a small taskforce dedicated to ensuring critical projects are prioritised and completed quickly.

Infrastructure for economic growth

One Nation strongly supports infrastructure planning, which is strategically aligned to support economic growth and improved economic productivity. The distances in Queensland are vast, making efficiency paramount in planning as well. One Nation will prioritise infrastructure planning for economic growth by:

• aligning public infrastructure investment with economic development and growth goals, targeting projects that stimulate job creation and support key industries like mining, tourism, agriculture and forestry;
• promoting public-private partnerships to fund and deliver infrastructure projects more efficiently by using private sector expertise and resources; and
• prioritise infrastructure projects that improve connectivity between regional areas and transport hubs, creating efficient export paths and supply chains for national and international trade.

Telecommunications infrastructure

Queensland’s enormous size represents a major challenge in the provision of broadband services for home and business use, but this technology is now absolutely essential across a range of industries as well as basic services used every day by Queenslanders.

One Nation will explore ways to work with telecommunications providers to ensure sufficient broadband services are available throughout Queensland, including revisiting targeted subsidies for broadband services in poorly-serviced smaller communities and regional areas.

Sustainable infrastructure

One Nation seeks to preserve the natural beauty and heritage of Queensland’s environment, and also to ensure businesses in Queensland’s building and construction industry remain viable to deliver infrastructure projects – because sustainability has more than one focus or meaning. One Nation will facilitate sustainable infrastructure in Queensland by:

• ensuring all infrastructure projects adhere to environmentally responsible practices with respect to native flora and fauna, minimising impacts on Queensland’s natural beauty and biodiversity;
• promoting the leverage of Queensland’s natural energy resources in infrastructure projects where it’s feasible to do so; and
• ensuring due diligence on sustainability is performed when engaging businesses in infrastructure development, facilitating an efficient payments system to support business sustainability, and facilitating participation by Queensland-based businesses in the tender process.

One Nation will announce further information and associated policies relating to Queensland over the course of the election period.

Further information

1. Addressing road issues in Cook