Katter calls for final stretch of the Hann Highway (Kennedy Development Road) to be sealed
KENNEDY MP, Bob Katter, is writing to the Federal Government calling for the final 10 kilometre stretch of the Hann Highway (Kennedy Development Road) between the Lynd and Hughenden to be sealed.
The Kennedy Developmental Road (Hann Highway) works are currently funded under the Roads of Strategic Importance (ROSI) initiative.
The $50 million project to progressively seal approximately 48 kilometres of the Kennedy Developmental Road, located between The Lynd and Hughenden, is due to be finalised at the end of 2023.
Approximately 10 kilometres of the road will remain unsealed following the completion of the current ROSI works.
Bob Katter said it is critical that the final 10 kilometres of sealing take place as soon as possible as the Hann Highway cuts 700 kilometres off the journey from the tropical fruit and vegetable growing area of Australia (the greater Cairns region including Mareeba, Tully and Atherton etc), to Melbourne – the biggest distribution hub.
“In north Queensland we grow around 5 to 10 percent of Australia’s fruit and vegetables and it’s critical that we can get it to market as quickly as possible and in the best condition,” he said.
“A fully sealed Hann Highway will be the most productive way of achieving this. We will send tropical fruit and vegetables (bananas, mangoes, avocadoes) and receive back temperate produce. This backloading capacity will be magical. The Hann Highway will be a giant high speed feeder road, with little to no traffic on it.
“On the Bruce Highway you travel through many towns and villages, constantly changing speeds, creating a nightmare for truckies. So, the Hann Highway will have no congestion and no delays.
“I want to put on record my gratitude to Anthony Albanese because when he was Transport Minister half of the money for the sealing of the Hann Highway came from the Federal Government. Up until then the Federal Government didn’t give money to non-highway one roads. It was the first time to my knowledge that this had happened. The current Federal Government has also continued to fund this project and now we need them to fund the final few kilometres.”
-ENDS-
