Australian Government commits to fixing "dangerous" highway as election looms

The Federal Government has announced it will cover the vast majority of funding for much-needed upgrades to Queensland’s most dangerous road, as Australia gears up for an election in the coming months.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this week announced the Government would provide $7.2 billion of the $9 billion required to upgrade the state’s Bruce Highway, with these works intended to raise the road’s minimum safety level based on Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP) safety criteria.

ABC News reports Mr Albanese’s plan to fund 80 per cent of the highway’s upgrades was announced despite efforts by federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King last year to force states into a 50:50 funding split for major infrastructure projects.

The decision has fuelled speculation the Prime Minister is looking to call an election as early as late February, well ahead of the latest possible date of May 17.

It has also been recognised as the beginning of Mr Albanese’s re-election campaign – which will see him visit various locations in Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia in the coming weeks.

100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.

Queensland’s Bruce Highway is a 1673-kilometre route which connects Brisbane to Cairns, of which – according to the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) – large sections have “scored only one or two stars in the five-star AusRAP assessment system”.

A report published by insurance provider AAMI in 2024, based on claims data collated over the past decade, found eight of Queensland’s top 10 worst crash hotspots were at various points along the Bruce Highway.

The road travels through towns and cities including Rockhampton, Gympie, Mackay, Townsville, and Bowen – all of which occupied the top six respective crash hotspots in Queensland from 2014 to 2023.

Mr Albanese said there were 41 fatalities on the Bruce Highway in 2024, while two people have already died in an crash on the road this year.

A total of 302 lives were lost on Queensland roads last year – the state’s highest figure in 15 years.

“And that’s why this is a priority, that’s why we’re singling out this highway above all others to receive 80 per cent funding rather than the 50 per cent that is standard,” said the Prime Minister in remarks reported by ABC News.

Several priority sections have reportedly been identified by the government, namely Maryborough to Benaraby, Rockhampton to St Lawrence, Bowen to Townsville, and Ingham to Innisfail.

The most recent major upgrade to the road – colloquially known as the Bruce – was the Gympie Bypass. This is a 26km four-lane section of highway from Woondum to Curra which opened in October last year as the final stage of upgrades that began in 2009.

According to ABC News, upcoming upgrades will focus on installing safety barriers, wide shoulders and centre lines, tactile audible line markings, run-off areas, overtaking lanes and rest areas.

Roads damaged by weather will likely also be resealed and rehabilitated.

The funding follows the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland’s (RACQ) recent launch of the ‘Fix The Bruce‘ campaign, which involves several industry and transport organisations in Queensland to call for “fair funding to ‘Fix the Bruce’ and save lives”.

RACQ CEO David Carter says that after months of campaigning, the funding is a “much-needed win for the people of Queensland”, but reminds the works will take the form of ongoing upgrades “required over many years”.

“Right now, Queenslanders are three to five times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash on the Bruce Highway compared to the Pacific Highway in New South Wales and Hume Highway in Victoria,” Mr Carter said.

“When New South Wales and Victoria had their major national highways fixed, the Federal Government covered at least 80 per cent of the funding needed, now it’s the Bruce’s turn for serious funding.”

The upgrades are expected to raise the Bruce Highway’s minimum AusRAP safety rating from one or two stars to three stars, which according to the AAA will “save thousands of lives in coming decades”.

AAA managing director Michael Bradley says the latest progress on the Bruce was a result of “decision makers using AusRAP data to justify road funding decisions” after Ms King pushed state and territory governments to share road safety data last year.

“Until last year AusRAP data and a large amount of other road safety data held by states and territories was kept secret, leaving Australians without any way to judge whether politicians were funding roads to save lives or to win votes in marginal electorates,” Mr Bradley said.

“The next step is for the the Federal Government to lock-in the value of AusRAP data by requiring any state or territory government seeking commonwealth funding for a major road to produce an up-to-date AusRAP analysis for that road.”

As for the upcoming federal election, it’s been reported Mr Albanese aims to shore up support in Queensland following last year’s state election win for the Liberal National Party. ABC News reports the Coalition had “not yet settled its position on the funding” as it awaits evidence of “genuine investment”.

MORE: Australia’s most dangerous roads revealedMORE: Australian states being forced to reveal secret crash data as road toll surgesMORE: Queensland to share crucial road safety data with Australian Government