E-Petition

The Petition of residents of the State of Queensland draws to the attention of the House that the Kuranda Range Road (Kennedy Highway) remains significantly disrupted following damage caused by Cyclone Jasper in December 2023.

This road is a vital link connecting Cairns, Kuranda, Mareeba, the Atherton Tablelands and surrounding communities, and is relied upon by residents, businesses, tourists, freight, school transport and emergency services.

Ongoing repair delays, traffic disruption and uncertainty around completion dates continue to impact Far North Queensland communities through longer travel times, congestion, higher business costs, reduced tourism and difficulty accessing employment, education, healthcare and other services.

The lack of clear public information and regular progress updates has increased community frustration. Petitioners are concerned that the pace of recovery does not reflect the importance of this critical route.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to:

• publish a detailed timetable for completion of current repair works;
• provide monthly public progress updates, including delays and revised completion dates;
• commission an independent public review of works to date, including management, costs and causes of delays;
• allocate additional funding, contractors and resources where practical to accelerate works.
  Improve traffic management during construction to reduce delays and improve safety; and
• commit to permanent cyclone-resilient upgrades for the Kuranda Range Road.