Queensland transport and main roads minister Mark Bailey has welcomed a $100 million election pledge from Federal Labor to upgrade rail between Mt Isa and the Port of Townsville.
Federal Labor’s infrastructure spokesperson Anthony Albanese on Wednesday said a Bill Shorten-led Labor Government would provide $100 million to upgrade the line, which was recently closed due to major flooding.
“Currently, the line does not have resilience to cater for the projected increase in demand for rail haulage from mines in the Mt Isa region to the Port of Townsville,” Albanese said on April 24.
Minister Bailey – part of the Labor Government in Queensland – said the commitment showed Labor understood the importance of key infrastructure supply chains to jobs in North and North West Queensland.
“The Palaszczuk Government is already investing more than $380 million in the Mt Isa line over the next five years, and Bill Shorten’s pledge will help to increase the line’s efficiency and capacity, and will also help better protect it in times of severe weather.”