COALITION IN TOWN TO STAND UP FOR SOUTHERN CAIRNS

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A pair of Senior Coalition frontbenches are in Cairns today to call on the Federal Government to reconsider its decision to duplicate the Bruce Highway south of Cairns and investigate all alternative proposals for the Southern Road Corridor.

Warren Truss, Shadow Minister for Trade, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government joined Senator Ian Macdonald, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia at a roadside press conference today to discuss the existing proposal and the need to complete a thorough investigation of all alternatives.

“I welcome my Parliamentary colleague Warren Truss to Far North Queensland today to stand up for residents and businesses in the southern suburbs of Cairns and to call on the Government to investigate alternative proposals for the Southern Road Corridor into Cairns,” Senator Macdonald said.

“Mr Truss has travelled to Cairns to hear the concerns of residents first hand and to travel the roads in question,” said Senator Macdonald.

Mr Truss said that following a meeting with community groups and effected businesses in Edmonton yesterday the need to investigate every other sensible alternative became clear.

“The current proposal is without a doubt going to cause major disruptions for thousands of people through resumptions and during construction, the Federal Government needs to consider any sensible alternative to the current proposal,” said Mr Truss.

Mr Truss said that alternatives such as the Far Eastern Corridor from Gordonvale which have been looked at many years ago should be reconsidered under the current circumstances to see if what was once unrealistic was now a genuine alternative.

“I have been briefed on the Far Eastern Corridor proposal and it appears it could provide some substantial benefits for people in the Far North. It is imperative for the Government to have another look at this proposal before they go about destroying people’s homes and businesses,” Mr Truss said.

Mr Truss and Senator Macdonald were joined by Liberal National Candidate for Kennedy Ed Morrison will be travelling with Mr Morrison to Innisfail to attend meetings regarding an urgently required upgrade to the Jubilee Bridge.

END

16 February 2010

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