The Hon Catherine King MP
Press conference at the M1 Exit 49 upgrade
E&OE TRANSCRIPT
MINISTER FOR MAIN ROADS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT, MARK BAILEY: Great to be here at Exit 49 interchange here at Pimpama. This is one of the fastest growing areas in the whole country, let alone Queensland. And so the pressure on the M1 and the interchanges is well known. The Palaszczuk Labor Government, we're very proud to 50% funded this $110 million upgrade with the Federal Government and I'm delighted to have the new Federal Transport Minister Catherine King with me here today. And to see also the Prime Minister in Queensland at the moment, had a press conference with him, with the Premier and the Deputy Premier yesterday so great to see the new Federal
Government on the ground here in Queensland. This interchange upgrade will mean the doubling of capacity across the M1, will see the roundabouts replaced with traffic signals and much longer queues on and off the freeway. What we know is these growing areas will continue to grow. So we've got to have the infrastructure there for a growing
community. And this is the fifth interchange upgraded under the Palaszczuk Labor Government, after we've completed exits 54, 57 we’re nearly done on exit 41 and 45. So we're seeing a lot of action. And we need it for these growing community. Great to partner with the Albanese Federal Labor Government to get this job done. We'll see mobilisation works over the next two weeks and then we'll see the really heavy construction gear start to happen in two weeks’ time once a range of environmental things and mobilisation is done. Catherine.
MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, CATHERINE KING: It is so lovely to be here. I think this is the first press conference that we've done together, and it's great to be here on the M1. You can see behind me the traffic congestion that's occurring here for this local community. And really, what infrastructure is about, what building infrastructure in partnership with the Queensland Government is about, is about making sure people can get to and from work on time and that, more importantly, they can actually get home on time to spend time with their families. We know here in Pimpama, this is a growing suburb, a suburb which really does deserve the roads of the future and that's really what we're building here together. We saw the prime minister at Cross River Rail yesterday, a project that is deep in his heart a project that he funded when he was last Infrastructure Minister. But of course the Queensland Labor Government had to go it alone to build Cross River Rail because the Liberal National Party Government, pulled the Federal funding on that project. But here today at Exit 49, this is really about the partnership we're building together to really see this state moving. And I do want to congratulate the Palaszczuk Government for the great work that they've been doing on the M1, they're really going great guns, getting all of these on and off ramps, the traffic congestion out of the way, but really building up for the growth of the suburbs of the future. Thanks Mark for having me here today.
JOURNALIST: [inaudible]
KING: We can see what's happening right at the moment, you can see the congestion trying to get to work. Really this is about what it means for people getting to work on time, but more importantly being able to get home on time, to spend time with your family - that's what infrastructure really is all about, what it's enabling, and it’s terrific to see work on this interchange starting. Over the next two weeks, you'll see lots and lots of heavy construction activity.
JOURNALIST: [inaudible]
BAILEY: We see very intense use, I think the numbers are something like 30,000 a day. So it's a lot of pressure, you can see that all around us. We're building this interchange upgrade for the next 20 years. 175 jobs on this site. So $210 million, it's a massive project, we'll see it completed by 2024. And can I just say to motorists, of course, there will be some reduced speed zones at times. And I thank people for their patience in advance but you know, it's short term pain for medium long term gain.
JOURNALIST: And that was going to be my question, is there going to be many delays as these upgrades take place? Is it going to be completely shut of?
BAILEY: We are looking to build this upgrade while keeping the traffic flowing through it. It will be in a live environment. So, you'll still be able to get through. But, there will be some changed speed zones and circumstances. So, we just ask that people drive safely coming through the Exit 49 here at Pimpama as we do the project.
JOURNALIST: [inaudible]
BAILEY: There has been a sequence. Exit 41 is almost complete now. There is a sequence. You don't want to cause massive disruption on the M1, all at once. And so people have seen a sequence of interchange upgrades. This is the biggest one out of the five. So, it's a big, big job. And as you can see, it’s absolutely needed.
JOURNALIST: [inaudible]
BAILEY: Well, look, we're working with river tourism, in terms of supporting them for alternatives. There's a $1.1 million fund that people will be able to apply for later this month. And we encourage anyone affected to apply, to help them with berthing fees and other matters. But this development down at the pier is needed. It's a very tired area and will be a big improvement of infrastructure in the city.
JOURNALIST: [inaudible]
BAILEY: We're working with industry about what other options there are and what are the most suitable locations. There are a range of factors you've got to have in consideration. The depth of the river, but also access and where you can access it from the land to make sure those businesses are viable. So we're working with the industry in terms of what the alternatives are there. And we're looking forward to a resolution to that.
JOURNALIST: [inaudible]
BAILEY: Look, this is a Brisbane City Council project. So I'm not sure the specific details. But look, what's most needed in that part of the city is for the council to do a new Walter Taylor bridge across the river. That's the big choke point that holds everybody up. It's one they're doing a feasibility study on. They should complete that feasibility study as soon as they can. And get on with funding a new bridge there, because that's a huge bottleneck for that Southwest area.
JOURNALIST: [inaudible]
BAILEY: I absolutely understand the frustration of commuters. It's a very big worksite there can be frustrating but I just encourage people to drive safely and I'm sure the council will have some details about that specific project.
JOURNALIST: [inaudible]
BAILEY: It's 100% funded by the council, it's a council road. So the council's responsible for their projects. You know, we saw Kingsford Smith Drive was a year over time and $100 million plus over budget. It sounds like there might be having a few difficulties with this one as well.