Category: MIL-OSI

Source: New South Wales Department of Education and Communities

The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested a 19-year-old male in relation to a domestic violence incident that occurred in Karama this morning.

About 12:50am, police received reports of a disturbance at residence in Karama involving a group allegedly armed with weapons. The group were reportedly armed with a bow and allegedly threw bottles and loosed arrows at the home. One of the offenders is known to one of the victims.

General duties and Dog Operations Unit members commenced investigations and subsequently located the 19-year-old man at a residence in Gunn. He was arrested for Breach domestic violence order and was remanded in custody to appear in Darwin Local Court tomorrow.

Investigations remain ongoing.

If anyone has any information in relation to this incident police urge you to make contact on 131 444. You can anonymously report crime via Crime Stopper by calling 1800 333 000.

If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulties due to domestic violence, support services are available, including, but not limited to, 1800RESPECT (1800737732) or Lifeline 131 114.

Source: New South Wales Department of Education and Communities

The Northern Territory Police Force has charged a 19-year-old male with property offences and Interfere with protected wildlife following an unlawful entry in Knuckey Lagoon last Thursday.

Yesterday about 2:15pm, Strike Force Trident and Dog Operations Unit members tracked down the 19-year-old to a residence in Malak and apprehended him without incident.

He has since been charged with:

• Burglary – Building
• Damage to Property x 4
• Trespass – Entering Without Authority x 2
• Take/Interfere With Protected Wildlife
• Theft
• Driving, Using/Riding Motor Vehicle Without Consent
• Learner Driver – No Person in Front Seat
• Drive Without L Plates When Required

He will appear in Darwin Local Court today.

*This release was updated 12pm on 10/03/2025 as the incident day was originally incorrect. 

Source:

Gisborne juniors championships team

More than 900 firefighters are ready and raring to compete in the 2025 CFA/VFBV State Firefighter Championships over the next two weekends.

Returning to Mooroopna Recreation Reserve, CFA’s junior running teams from across the state will showcase their skills this weekend for the Urban Junior State Championships on 22 and 23 March.

Next weekend will see the Senior Urban, Senior Rural and Junior Rural events on 29 and 30 March.

Running for the second year in a row, is Gisborne Fire Brigades junior team. Following a twelve-year hiatus, Gisborne is back stronger than ever, under the watchful eye of former runner and coach for the brigade Bruce Harker.

Bruce is passionate about the sport and ran for almost 45 years. He has been guiding Asher, Nick, Zack and Lincoln who recently won the under 17 aggregates at Geelong.

“This is the first time in the brigade’s history we have had a junior running team,” Bruce said.

“I’m quite pleased how they’ve gone this year and there is a lot of pride for me in the success of the team.

“The brigade has been running since the sixties, and we were unbeatable for a while. It’s great to have a team back competing.”

Asher Kroon one of the team’s founding members loves the sport and how many opportunities it has given him.

“I think everyone should do it, I have learnt a lot of valuable skills, especially the teamwork aspect,” Asher said.

“I love all the long drives and places I get to see as part of competing.”

Asher is confident the team will do well but also wants to see more people put their hand-up to participate.

“We’ve done really well this year and I think we should do well at State Championships, we are all excited!” Asher said.

“We only have four people which is the minimum to compete. Even though it isn’t a sport you’d normally consider we would love more people to join.”

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said the State Championships are an important tradition for CFA members and regional communities.

“The Championships are always one of my favourite events in the calendar. They are a great display of the skills, dedication and enthusiasm of our members in a fun environment,” Jason said.

“It’s always a great place to see the camaraderie among our brigades, their families and the broader community.

“I look forward to seeing our future fighters battle it out this weekend for a bit of healthy competition.”

Attendees can enjoy food and drink vans, firefighting equipment and training demonstrations, CFA programs and education hubs, award presentations and much more. 

Events at the State Championships are based on practical firefighting activities, with a focus on physical fitness, teamwork and equipment skills using hoses, hydrants and other tools.

For more information and updates on the CFA/VFBV State Firefighter Championships visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au/champs.

Submitted by	CFA Media

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Source: Tasmania Police

Issued: 19 Mar 2025

An international university student studying in Australia has been convicted of multiple wildlife trafficking offences and sentenced to eighteen months in prison.

Ms Yinan Zhao appeared in the Brisbane District Court on 27 February 2025 to face seven charges of attempting to send native Australian wildlife by post to China.

Between 12 May and 1 November 2023, Zhao attempted to export ten individual packages containing 15 lizards from Queensland to China, with an estimated ‘street value’ of $74,207.

The lizards were packed in small boxes containing children’s toys with some intercepted by Australia Post in Brisbane and others in Sydney after being X-rayed.

The successful prosecution was the result of a joint operation between the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Water (DCCEEW) and the Queensland Government Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI).

Much of the offending took place in Queensland, while some offences occurred in New South Wales.

DESTI Compliance Manager Warren Christensen welcomed the prosecution and the minimum five-month prison sentence.

“Unfortunately, international students, such as those from China are often targeted through social media and other means to make easy money by smuggling wildlife,” Mr Christensen said.

“This prosecution should serve as a warning to others considering smuggling animals to make a quick buck that they will be caught and face very serious, life changing consequences.

“This operation was an excellent example of state and Australian government agencies working cooperatively with Border Force and Australia Post to detect and prevent international wildlife smuggling.

“DETSI wildlife officers seized the packages suspected by Australia Post and Border Force of containing protected wildlife.

“We formally identified all wildlife recovered from the packages and assisted with the identification of Zhao and the execution of the warrant that led to her arrest.

“During her arrest, we also found more unlawfully held wildlife that were also being prepared for sale on Chinese markets.

“Sending reptiles in the mail is extremely cruel as they won’t have access to food, water or fresh air for weeks and sadly, most of the animals will die before they get to their destination.

“Of those we intercept, many can never be released into the wild because we don’t know where they were captured or if they have been exposed to disease while in captivity.

“We thank the Australian Government, Border Force and Australia Post for their efforts in assisting in detecting this crime and in securing this conviction.”

Zhao was convicted on all charges and sentenced to 18-months imprisonment with a non-parole period of 5 months.

The successful conviction follows the prosecution of another foreign national, Mr Man Lung Ma, who was convicted of nineteen charges relating to twenty-nine separate attempts to export protected native wildlife, including five attempts from Queensland.

In November 2024 Lung Ma was sentenced to 3 years 6 months in jail, with a 2-year non-parole period.

Lizards attempted to be smuggled:

• 5 Shinglebacks
• 5 Blue tongues
• 2 Geckos
• 2 Tree skinks
• 1 Cunningham skink

Source: Premier of Victoria

Source: Australian Attorney General’s Agencies

This transcript has been redacted in accordance with Digital Transformation Agency guidelines.

---

…

Don Farrell, Minister for Trade: Thanks, Joe, and welcome to everybody here today. It’s great to be with Joe. He’s a standout Trade Minister in what is a standout state government under my good friend Peter Malinauskas. And it’s the teamwork between the state and the federal government that’s got us to this point where we’ve had almost double the record amount of crayfish going back into China. When I started this job almost three years ago, we faced $20 billion worth of trade impediments on our products going back into China. That disproportionately affected South Australia because so many of the products were staples in this state. The last of those products to get back in was crayfish and we got that back in just before Christmas, so just in time to make the Lunar New Year. And of course, we’ve now seen these wonderful, wonderful results coming through. And what we’ve seen in respect of every single product that we’ve got back into China over the last three years is that we are getting more product back into China than before the impediments were imposed. It doesn’t matter whether you talk about wheat, barley, beef or wine, all very important products produced in South Australia. All of those products are now going back into China at greater volumes. Why is that important? Well, if your business is outward facing, then your profits are going to be higher, but more importantly, the wages of your staff are going to be higher. So, it’s good for business and it’s good for employees. These are difficult times for trade. But what we’ve seen is with that more than $20 billion now getting back into China, that’s good obviously for the Australian economy. We’re a great free trading nation. But it’s also good for Chinese consumers. They’re getting the best product in the world. How do we know that? Well, they’re buying so much. I do want to particularly single out Kyri here because these were really tough times for Australian and South Australian fishers. They had to hold firm in what were the most difficult of circumstances. And can I congratulate Kyri in the way that he stuck with the government? It would have been very easy to throw up your hands and say, look, we’re not going to resolve this issue. But Kyri stuck with us for the whole of the time, and of course now the seafood industry in this state and in this country is reaping the benefits. So, great work there Kyri. Have a great day. Thank you.

…

Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

DALES WHYTE [HOST]: Joining us in the studio at the moment is the Minister for, amongst other things, Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Local Government, the Honourable Catherine King. Good morning Catherine, how are you?

CATHERINE KING [MINISTER]: I’m well. And that was a very apt song. I haven’t met you yet either, but today we have. So there you go.

DALES WHYTE: The world is a better place.

CATHERINE KING: There you go.

DALES WHYTE: We have been asking people to give us a call, and they’ve been– look, there’s been bulk calls coming in the last 48 hours. Amazingly enough, or unexpectedly, we’ve got a lot of interest in what’s happening with the Bruce Highway. First call we got was soon after we knew you were coming. It was: when is work starting on the Bruce Highway?

CATHERINE KING: Good. Well, the first thing I can say is that today I’m here. The Bruce Highway Advisory Committee is in town today, and we are meeting together to talk about what the next tranche of projects. But I’m here with Brent Mickelberg as well. We’ll be announcing the first tranche of projects under the new $9 billion safety package. There’s 23 projects; 16 of those are construction projects. They will start shortly. They’re ready to go. Literally, the contracts are about to be signed, and a further planning for the next set of tranche of projects is underway. The advisory committee is advising both the Queensland and the federal government about where the problem areas are.

So, on that, we obviously have the motoring groups, we’ve got local representatives of local councils along the highway, truck drivers. And they’re the people who are going to try and tell us where we need to work first, because what we want to do is work on the worst bits of the road first and get those improvements. And that’s what we’re announcing today.

DALES WHYTE: I think that’s fabulous. I think that– I’ve got to say, and I said it earlier on the radio, I would have hoped that somebody from Transport and Main Roads, one of our great public servants, and we do have really good public servants in Queensland, would have been sitting down keeping an idea of the road areas that need working.

CATHERINE KING: Yeah, well they’ve started– so this first lot have come from TMR. So the first lot have come from TMR. And there’s that 15-year action plan for the Bruce that was developed some time ago. So it’s come from there. And then what we’re doing is using the advisory group to actually develop the next tranche of projects. So that’ll just keep rolling. So today, it’s about 300 million worth of projects that are being released, and that money is now being released. And that’s literally– we announced this money in January. And here we are not too far down the track and we’re actually getting on with it.

DALES WHYTE: We– yeah, we certainly do need it. I would like to have seen it done in January three years ago.

CATHERINE KING: [Laughs]

DALES WHYTE: Another question …

CATHERINE KING: [Interrupts] I think all of it is. But, you know, to be blunt, to be political for a moment, it’s taking a Labor Government to get in and do it.

DALES WHYTE: No, don’t forget, the election coming up. You’re allowed to get in a free plug for yourself.

CATHERINE KING: [Laughs]

DALES WHYTE: Is the immediate money available for both the Bruce Highway and the beef roads?

CATHERINE KING: Yeah. So also what we’re announcing today. So this beef roads has been extraordinarily frustrating to me. So, there’s a $500 million package for beef roads. And in essence, what we’ve been waiting for is the councils in the area with the Queensland Government to basically say, where are the roads that you want us to spend the money on? There’s one thing to say, here, we’re allocating money. So again today, $38 million is the first tranche of that. I’ve signed off on that money. Construction will start on those as well.

DALES WHYTE: Now, we have a little chestnut for you that I know you’re going to love.

CATHERINE KING: [Laughs] OK.

DALES WHYTE: According to the Senate estimates hearing, $440 million of that $7 billion will be spent over the next three years on the Bruce Highway. What happened to the full 7 billion?

CATHERINE KING: Well, yeah. So this is this sort of nonsense. And I understand your local member has been touting this around. So estimates are estimates. Basically, what they do is they estimate. We think that according to where the schedule of where works is up to, this is where money will need to be released. Now, today we’re blowing that out of the water, to be quite honest, because we’re just releasing $300 million in the first three months. So what happens is Queensland will come forward to me. They do what’s called a project proposal report. They say we’re now ready to spend the money and then we just move money into– money moves in and out of the forward estimates all the time. You wouldn’t expect that I would put $7.2 billion in the first year and say, here you go, Queensland, off you go, you just can spend it wherever you like. I’m sure Queensland would love it if I did that.

DALES WHYTE: Well, we just want to spend it on this goat track.

CATHERINE KING: [Laughs] Exactly. Well that’s why we’re doing it. So you’ve got to– you know, they’ve got to do the planning. They’ve got to come to me and say, here’s the report. This is how much it’s going to cost. This is– you know, we’re ready to go to tender. Can you release the money? And we just release the money. And that’s basically what happens with every project. There’s a reason they’re called estimates. They’re estimates of when we think projects will be ready and we move money in and out of them all the time.

DALES WHYTE: The proof will be in the pudding.

CATHERINE KING: Absolutely. Well, we’ve got 300 million being released today …

DALES WHYTE: [Talks over] I think that’s fabulous.

CATHERINE KING: … in three months.

DALES WHYTE: Now, this is a really important question. I have driven the Hume Highway on numerous occasions.

CATHERINE KING: Yes.

DALES WHYTE: I used to live in New South Wales. Don’t hold that against me.

CATHERINE KING: [Laughs]

DALES WHYTE: But …

CATHERINE KING: [Talks over] Well, I’m a Victorian, so I have driven on it too.

DALES WHYTE: My question is, it’s all concrete. It’s pretty much flood proofed. Why are we– why aren’t we doing that here?

CATHERINE KING: Yeah. So– I mean, different roads will need different conditions because of the amount of rain and weather. And again, I’m not an engineering expert, so I rely on the advice of TMR and the engineers to say this is what we’re doing. But one of the things we’ve been focused on– so we’ve got this safety package, this $9 billion, there is a further $10 billion of works that is already underway so that will continue. A lot of that is really big money, around flood proofing and building better. And so you can see that as the road improves slowly but surely a bit more down south that it has up this way, and partly what we’re trying to do now is focus on the central and the north bits of this to get that flood proofing as well. So those big projects will also still continue. And I think– again, Gladstone to Rockhampton we’ve got 188 million. I’ve just released that as well for that section of the road, so that money is in addition to the 9 billion. So, all of that’s happening. In terms of what surface you use and what treatment, really that’s up to the engineers. But our expectation is, from the Commonwealth’s point of view, is that we are building resilience into our infrastructure. There is no point building something and then it– the surface washes away. And it’s frustrating to me, and I know it’s frustrating to many of your listeners when that occurs. So that’s really what we’re focused on.

DALES WHYTE: And that’s– it’s really amazing. Of all the people that called us, it basically came down to the Bruce Highway.

CATHERINE KING: Yeah. Absolutely.

DALES WHYTE: So that gives you an idea of how important that is in our part of the world.

CATHERINE KING: Yeah. Well, it’s your major– like, it’s the only way you can travel around, between communities. It– absolutely. And we’ve understood that, we’ve always understood it. And it’s why we’re focused on trying to get this improved.

DALES WHYTE: You’ve brought your bucket of money with you. What else are you releasing today?

CATHERINE KING: Well, today also– so the Rocky Ring Road has been a really important project. I think if you’ve heard the Prime Minister talk about it, this is a project he promised back, I think with Kirsten Livermore way, way, way back. It’s taken a long time to get this project off the road. When we came to government, the tenders had come in at about 700 million more than were expected because it had been so delayed, frankly, under the previous government. It was going to cost more, we had to take some time to try and work out, well, how do we find that money? Can we get costs down at all? We found that money. There has been another cost pressure that would have been– the Queensland Government has reported. So, we’re adding another 200 million, taking the Commonwealth’s contribution to the Rocky Ring Road to $1.4 billion. It’s a big ring road. And so that money is being released again today as well. So making sure there was a view that we could scope it back a bit and not put that money in, we took the decision, we’ll put the 200 million in and the full scope of the Rocky Ring Road will proceed.

DALES WHYTE: Now, if I was a little bit dubious of politicians…

CATHERINE KING: [Talks over] No, you’re not like that at all. No, never. [Laughs]

DALES WHYTE: Never, not me. One could say, oh, this is just spending in time for the election. Why didn’t it happen earlier?

CATHERINE KING: Well, again, the cost overrun for that has only just been identified, so I didn’t know about it a year ago. If I’d known about it a year ago, we would have dealt with it. So it’s only just come to light that this cost pressure is there so we’re just doing that. In terms of the Bruce Highway, we’ve been working with both the previous Queensland Government and the new Queensland Government on what we could do next. We had 10 billion already on the table. Those projects were proceeding and continue to go. I’d always like them to happen much more quickly, to be blunt. I think it would be good if they happened much more quickly and we’d been working with them about what next, what do we need to do? And again, we sort of do it on a project by project basis. And so we needed them to come to us to say what it was that was needed. And once they did that, we stepped up.

DALES WHYTE: I’ve kept my questions to last. So are you– I’m running out now. I’m out of time, that is. 15-year plan for the Bruce Highway. We can’t wait 15.

CATHERINE KING: No, you definitely can’t. So what we’ve said with this 9 billion safety package, and the focus of this is doing what’s called– there’s a star rating system, but that basically looks at the safety of each of the big highways in particular. And it says that, really, the best– safest road is a five-star road. And that’s where you’ve got, dual lanes separated …

DALES WHYTE: Much like the Hume Highway.

CATHERINE KING: Yeah. Like that. Like– I’m trying to think, even in my home district, the Western Highway is a bit safer, but it’d probably be around four stars. It’s three in some parts as well, and down to two in others as well. So really what you’re trying to do is look at where is every single part of this that is at a two star, and we want to lift that up to three. If we can get it higher, we will. It will depend on the treatment. So you’ve got to widen shoulders. You’ve got to put grade separation in place. So you’re going to start to see that, we’ve said we’ll do that in eight years. That’s the plan is to get that done in eight years. If we can get it done sooner, we will. You’ve got a bit of a workforce shortage up here, unfortunately, at the moment. And there’s a lot happening, building everywhere. Olympics is going to put some strain on the labour force as well.  And we’d like to get it done.

DALES WHYTE: And we want some of the Olympics up here.

CATHERINE KING: Well, that’ll be a matter for the Queensland Government’s review. You’ll be– I mean, you know it’s always tricky with these things. What you want to do is be able to make sure that you’ve got some facilities for people, for places to train, that you’ve got some legacy afterwards so that you’ve got sporting fields and facilities that people can use afterwards.

DALES WHYTE: Okay, here we go. The final question: is all this money going to happen no matter who wins the election?

CATHERINE KING: Yeah. So this is all in the budget. So the announcement we made of the 7.2 billion and then the Queensland Government made 1.8, that is already in the budget. But of course, when you’ve got an opposition looking for $351 billion of cuts, I can’t guarantee what they might cut. Let’s hope it’s not the Bruce.

DALES WHYTE: Well, I don’t think anyone would be game to cut the Bruce. And …

CATHERINE KING: Not if you’re on the case, mate. No.

DALES WHYTE: With respect to Peter Dutton, he is a Queenslander, so he knows better.

CATHERINE KING: I don’t know, he got confused between Yeppen and Yeppoon, so I don’t know about that.

DALES WHYTE: [Laughs] Oh well okay. Point taken. Well done. Minister King, thank you so much for your time. It’s always a pleasure and hopefully you won’t be a stranger.

CATHERINE KING: Never. I will come back anytime you’d like me to.

Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

The Albanese Labor Government tomorrow will announce the release of $38 million to get started on the early works package for the Central Queensland Beef Roads project. 

The Central Queensland Beef Roads is a strategic road network that covers 218,000 square kilometres and supports the movement of around $1.7 billion in freight and agricultural produce – in particular Australian beef – each year from inland areas to saleyards, processing facilities and ports across the region.

The network also supports other industries such as tourism, critical minerals and renewable energy.

The $500 million project is being jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments, with Australian Government contributing $400 million, and the Queensland Government contributing the remaining $100 million.

The early works package has been identified in partnership with local councils and industry stakeholders. 

Projects selected will address immediate needs by sealing and widening sections of the network to provide all-weather access, improve productivity and safety. 

This will have significant benefits for all road users, especially our freight drivers.  

The early works package includes the following projects:

• Upgrade 2.7 kilometres of Clermont-Alpha Road East
• Upgrade 3.0 kilometres of Clermont-Alpha Road West
• Upgrade 4.8 kilometres of Fitzroy Developmental Road
• Upgrade 5.7 kilometres of Alpha-Tambo Road
• Upgrade 7.6 kilometres of May Downs Road

Construction on the early works package is expected to commence in mid-2025 and will be completed by mid-2027.

Today’s announcement reveals the Commonwealth’s contribution is flowing. 

A 10-year investment strategy is being developed for the Beef Roads project that will identify short, medium and long-term priorities and guide future investment decisions in consultation with local councils, industry stakeholders and the Queensland Government.

The investment strategy is expected to be completed in mid-2025.

Quotes from Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King: 

“Queensland’s beef roads are as essential to the state as the cattle industry itself, which is why we’re getting on with delivering these critical upgrades. 

“We know there is still work to do, but this first set of projects will make the roads wider, smoother and above all, safer for all road users.  

“This is good for our nation’s freight productivity, good for central Queenslanders,  and good for our truckies who use these roads every day.”

Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

The Albanese Labor Government and Crisafulli Queensland Government are delivering on our promise to fix the Bruce Highway, with work to begin on the first set of safety upgrades in the $9 billion Bruce Highway Safety Package.

In January, the Federal and State Governments committed $7.2 billion and $1.8 billion respectively to fix Queensland’s Bruce Highway.

Today, we’re getting on with the job by investing an initial $300 million in early works and planning including 16 new projects between Gympie and Innisfail that include wide centre line treatments between Rungoo and Mourilyan, overtaking lanes between Ayr and Brandon and a new heavy vehicle rest area in Gin Gin as well as pavement and culvert strengthening. Construction will commence immediately.

A further seven projects will progress preconstruction and design activities for future safety works.

This funding builds on the existing funding already committed by the Australian and Queensland Governments to the Bruce Highway.

Today the Albanese Government is also announcing we are providing an additional $200 million to ensure the full delivery of the Rockhampton Ring Road, taking the Commonwealth’s total contribution to almost $1.4 billion.

The Rockhampton Ring Road is a transformative project for Central Queensland, and this additional contribution will ensure the necessary funds are available to deliver the project, which will reduce travel times, improve road safety and flood resilience and open up new travel routes to key leisure, retail and education facilities.

On top of these announcements, the Australian and Queensland governments are getting on with delivering transport infrastructure for Central Queensland. This includes today announcing the release of Commonwealth funding to kick off work on essential projects in the region, including:

• $38 million to kick off early works for the critical Beef Roads;
• $188 million to get started on the Bruce Highway – Gladstone to Rockhampton Upgrades;
• $37 million to get started on upgrading sections of the Capricorn Highway.

Projects in the Bruce Highway early works package have been identified by investment priorities from the Bruce Highway 15-year Vision and Action Plans.

Full details of the overall $9 billion package will be developed in consultation between the Australian and Queensland governments, and the Bruce Highway Advisory Council providing advice.

For more information on the Bruce Highway Safety Package, visit: investment.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/bruce-highway-upgrade-safety-package-fact-sheet.pdf

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

“Queenslanders deserve a long-term plan for essential infrastructure, and the Albanese Government is delivering that certainty as we build Australia’s future.

“Enough is enough, and it’s time to fix this road which is why we’re coming together with the Queensland Government to get it done.

“These projects are in high-risk areas north of Gympie, where conditions are poor and safety upgrades will go a long way.”

Quotes attributable to Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg:

“Queensland deserves better than a second-class highway and that is why we are focused on delivering a safer and more reliable Bruce.

“Additional funding from the Australian Government towards the Bruce Highway is a welcomed.

“We are getting to work with a focus on improving wide centreline treatment, narrow bridges, flood resilience, intersection upgrades and multi-use rest areas.  

“The Bruce Highway is the spine of Queensland’s road network and we have worked with the Australian Government to unlock funding and fast-track key safety improvements on priority sections of the highway.

“Our newly formed Bruce Highway Advisory Council will continue to play a crucial role in advising the Queensland Government on investment priority and sequencing of key upgrades along the Bruce Highway.”

Early Works Package – Construction $200 million:

• Curra Interchange (eastern side) – construction of an all-vehicle rest area
• Stratford Road – widening to improve safety
• Chapmans Road to Stratford Road – widening in sections to improve safety
• Brooks Road – intersection upgrade (new southbound turning lane) to improve safety
• Barton Road – intersection widening to improve safety
• Three Mile Creek – audio tactile line marking and culvert replacement
• Granite Creek – construction of new heavy vehicle rest area
• Pine Mountain Creek to Deep Creek – installation of wide centreline treatment
• Bootooloo Road – installation of wide centreline treatment
• Alligator Creek – pavement strengthening
• Toomulla Intersection – pavement strengthening
• Hencamp Creek – pavement strengthening
• Various locations – pavement strengthening
• Dean Road to Tully High School – installation of wide centreline treatment
• Aldridge Road to Poppi Road – installation of wide centreline treatment
• Various locations between Innisfail and Cairns – pavement strengthening

Design Package – Planning $100 million:

• Priority sections of wide centreline treatment between Torbanlea and Gin Gin
• New heavy vehicle rest area at Gin Gin
• Priority sections of wide centreline treatment between Etna Creek and Waverley Creek
• Priority sections of wide centreline treatment between Marian-Hampden Road and Exmoor Road
• Priority sections of wide centreline treatment north of Ayr to Zinc Road, Townsville
• Priority overtaking lanes between Ayr and Brandon
• Priority sections of wide centreline treatment between Rungoo and Mourilyan