LABOR’S Bowman candidate Tom Baster says MP Andrew Laming has let down voters by not delivering on a 2016 promise to upgrade a Cleveland roundabout.
Mr Laming pledged before the last federal election to fund a $3.5 million upgrade of the Shore Street West/Wellington Street roundabout.
He said at the time the money would pay for lights for the intersection, turning lanes and safe pedestrian crossings.
Mr Baster said Bowman voters – especially some older residents in the area who wanted to access local shops safely – had trusted Mr Laming to deliver the upgrade and been let down.
“Before the last election this was one of Mr Laming’s key pledges,” Mr Baster said.
“He will be letting the voters down if he does not deliver the funding needed in the final budget due in April.
“He cannot blame state Labor for not delivering this promise as there was no mention by Mr Laming before the last election that this upgrade required co-funding.
“We only found out after the election.”
Mr Laming said there was nothing he could do to make state Labor upgrade its own road.
He said Redland City Council had deemed the $3.5 million sufficient for traffic signalling at the intersection in 2016.
“Labor didn’t require an additional cent to install the lights,” Mr Laming said.
“Each time we offered money, they just invented a new higher cost to ensure the work never happened.
“It is a case of political games before road upgrades.
“If Labor are serious, they would announce money today, instead of devoting their existence to attacking those of us building Redlands’ roads.”
Regarding a $15 million funding announcement – a first down payment for a $60 million project – for intersections on Wellington Street and Panorama Drive made by Prime Minister Scott Morrison last month, Mr Baster said broken promises should be fixed before new ones were made.
“How can voters believe Mr Laming about his new road funding promises made this week, if he has broken his previous ones?” Mr Baster said.
Mr Baster asked whether council had to commit $45 million before they received the $15 million in federal funding, whether council was consulted before the announcement and what happened to the $15 million if council could not afford the upgrade.
Mr Laming said the Wellington Street/Panorama Drive upgrades could start as soon as council finalised and submitted its plans.
Wellington Street upgrades are included in the council’s 10 year capital plan.
Mr Laming said the federal investment would allow council to start work sooner.
“What council upgrades first and when they start is a matter for them,” Mr Laming said.
“The funding doesn’t have conditions attached.”
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