Start the Rockhampton Ring Road
Published on 04 November 2022
Today, we saw what the Rockhampton Ring Road project means to the Central Queensland community.
Council, community members, local politicians, and business leaders, sent a strong statement - to simply just start construction of the Rockhampton Ring Road.
Attendees at today’s rally expressed their thoughts and some echoed the sentiments of the special meeting of Rockhampton Regional Council held on October 28.
“Since the Budget was announced we’ve heard in Senate Estimates that there is money for the project to begin in 2025/26, but we don’t see how hitting the handbrake on this project will make it any cheaper.”
“While the delay never should have happened, our community now needs certainty. Our position is that we want to see construction commence as promised in January 2024.”
Greg Bowden, Executive Manager of Advance Rockhampton- the region’s lead economic development agency expressed his disappointment over the projects’ delay and left him wondering how we can deliver those jobs of the future.
“Businesses across Rockhampton have been gearing up for this $1 billion plus project. Buying equipment, employing staff, to ultimately ensure we had a shovel-ready workforce.”
“There are no winners with this delay and local industry are the ultimate losers, now out of pocket and wondering what their next big project will be.”
“I commend local industry leaders for acting swiftly in response to the delay.”
“A project of this magnitude does not come around often, especially in regional Queensland. The Rockhampton Ring Road was slated to bring almost 800 new jobs. It would have changed our community forever with the economic benefits worth tens of millions.”
“A construction timeline is ultimately needed, and it’s needed now,” he said.
“We’ve already seen the economic impacts of Rookwood Weir and the Australia-Singapore Military Training Initiative. They have brought almost 2000 local jobs to our region. Major projects bring major economic benefits and continue to put Rocky on the radar. Along with the community benefits, local construction services, manufacturers, equipment suppliers, recruitment, training, retail and hospitality industries all benefit from these projects.”
“With our Defence Strategy still in its early stages and with the new Energy & Jobs Plan yet to provide clarity on where the energy jobs of the future will come from, I have serious concerns that deferring this project will have a significant negative economic impact on the local job market, local industry and future investment in the region.”
Rockhampton Regional Council is seeking meetings with State and Federal Government representatives to clarify just when the Rockhampton Ring Road project will start.
ENDS