Last week the Federal Opposition announced plans to establish a $20 billion Regional Australia Future Fund (RAFF) to invest in regional health care, childcare and infrastructure if elected on May 3.
The Coalition has also pledged to reinstate the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, a $1 billion commitment which would include $500 million for all councils to provide community infrastructure as well as an additional $500 million for regional roads.
These announcements have been welcomed by many in the agriculture sector, who have been advocating for years for greater access to essential services and secure, long-term funding for roads in regional Australia. However, a more sustainable funding pipeline is needed if we are to ensure our domestic and global food security thrives off the back of the nation’s world class agriculture sector and our regional communities.
The recent record flooding across Queensland has highlighted the need for key freight corridors to be rebuilt with greater flood resilience. The vulnerability of the Bruce Highway is particularly alarming, with sections closed for more than 30 days this year, to an estimated total cost of more than $300 million. Not to mention the empty supermarket shelves that followed due to products not being able to make it to consumers.
In 2024, QFF, RACQ, the Local Government Association of Queensland, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Queensland, Queensland Trucking Association, and Queensland Tourism Industry Council called for action to improve the safety standards and ensure fairer funding to #FixTheBruce.
In January 2025, the Federal Government and Opposition showed bipartisan support for the return to an 80/20 Federal/State funding model for works on the Bruce Highway, with the Government announcing a $9 billion package to upgrade the highway to a 3-star minimum safety rating on a five-star scale.
In March the first set of upgrades got started with a $300 million initial investment in early works and planning across 16 projects between Gympie and Innisfail. QFF continue to play an active role on the Bruce Highway Advisory Council to ensure Queensland agriculture is represented in the prioritisation of these projects going forward.
Beyond the Bruce, QFF supports the Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise in their continued advocacy for greater investment in the Warrego Highway, the second most trafficked highway in Queensland.
With almost 6,000 heavy vehicles travelling on the Warrego each day, the reduced capacity of the Bremer River Bridge represents a chokepoint for agricultural goods, as well as construction resources and other essential cargo.
The Federal Election is now just over a fortnight away, and QFF and our peak body members will continue to review the policy proposals of all parties to promote productive outcomes for Queensland agriculture.
Without the right infrastructure in place, we simply cannot secure the future of food, fibre and foliage for Australia.