The LNP has promised, if elected, to deliver $30 million “to commence the project to duplicate Beckmans Road and connect Cooroy Noosa Road to Eumundi Noosa Road“, while Independent Noosa MP Sandy Bolton says $30 million falls well short of the amount needed to complete the work.
“An LNP government will drive the Tewantin Bypass to become reality, improving traffic flow and reducing travel times for families and tourists,” LNP leader David Crisafulli said on Monday.
Mr Crisafulli promised work on the bypass would commence in the first term of an LNP government with LNP plans to include fast-tracking the remaining stages of the Beckmans Road upgrade project, working closely with Noosa Council and the Department of Transport and Main Roads to deliver it.
“This project is an important priority for the Noosa community, and the LNP is ready to hit the gas to get it moving,“ he said.
LNP candidate for Noosa Clare Stewart said the LNP’s commitment would “ensure this project is delivered to support Noosa’s future growth and prosperity“.
The LNP said for more than 20 years, Sunshine Coast residents have called for the completion of this crucial infrastructure project and blamed Labor for its delay.
At a Meet the Candidates event held last week Independent Noosa MP Sandy Bolton called on the LNP to make a solid commitment to Noosa with construction funding of $100 million for the remaining stages of the Tewantin Bypass.
“Since Beckmans Road was handed over to Council by State in 2000, we had 20 years of inaction by Labor and LNP Governments,“ Ms Bolton said.
“In that time we had two political party MPs, whose respective parties held government during their terms, and they did not deliver on needed historical projects such as the Tewantin Bypass and Six Mile Bridge #7. That more progress has been made since Noosa chose to be ‘independent’ in 2017 is a testament to why it is so important for Noosa to remain independent,” she said.
Stage one of the Tewantin Bypass, the Cooroy Noosa/ Beckmans Road Roundabout, was completed in 2022.
Just prior to the Labor government moving the government into caretaker mode on 1 October they announced $8.5 million in funding to fast-track the detailed designs and business cases for the remaining stages this year.
“The funding achieved this year wasn’t an election commitment; it is in budget and allocated,“ Ms Bolton said.
“After this funding was secured, and during the recent meet the candidates event hosted by the Australian Independent Retirees (AIR) Noosa Branch on 10 October, I called on the LNP to commit construction funding estimated at over $100 million. The question is what will $30 million achieve? Is it the original Stage two which I had requested, that mysteriously changed course to combine stages two and three under the last Council term, which derailed years of work to secure funding in the last State Budget?”
Ms Bolton said she held concerns that these last-minute commitments by the LNP, including those usually Council responsibility, were being made on the run, without any depth.
“An LNP or Labor MP will not hold their own parties to account on election promises, whereas we have and always will,“ she said.
“Remember, when the LNP were last in power in 2014 with a Noosa LNP MP, and they closed our TAFE without community consultation, funding was removed for the replacement of the dangerous Six Mile Bridge #7. History has well documented the broken promises of parties, and my promise has always been very clear. To serve our community, take forward our priorities, and hold parties to account.”
