This was sent to me by my Missus this morning. (I've blocked her email for privacy reasons)

Thank you Can Do, Just what we all need, More Tolls!!!

From: statements@qld.gov.au [mailto:statements@qld.gov.au]
Sent: Thursday, 16 June 2011 12:00 PM
Subject: Queensland motorists slugged under Newman's toll plan for the Bruce



Main Roads, Fisheries and Marine Infrastructure
The Honourable Craig Wallace
16/06/2011

Queensland motorists slugged under Newman's toll plan for the Bruce

Queensland motorists would have to pay to use the Bruce Highway under a plan by Campbell Newman to toll the State's most important national highway.

Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace said communities from Brisbane to Cairns would face big rises in freight and travel costs under the new toll tax.

In the LNP's first-ever roads policy announcement, LNP Parliamentary Leader Jeff Seeney said in the Innisfail Advocate that the LNP was looking at putting tolls on the Bruce Highway.

The June 11 story said: "Campbell Newman's Queensland LNP will be putting all options on the table - including the possibility of introducing tolls - to deliver an all-weather highway linking the north and south of the State."

Mr Wallace said: "Queenslanders will pay through the nose to use the Bruce Highway under the plan.

"Campbell Newman must now say immediately if he backs Jeff Seeney in this toll tax," he said.

"Does Jeff Seeney have Campbell Newman's authority to make the commitment?"

Mr Wallace said Campbell Newman's toll transponders would be beeping all along the Bruce, electronically dipping into every motorist's and truckie's pocket, including for trips from:

·Cairns and Townsville - BEEP! - thanks Campbell Newman

·Townsville to Mackay - BEEP! - thanks Campbell Newman.

·Mackay to Rockhampton - BEEP! - thanks Campbell Newman.

·Rockhampton to Gympie - BEEP! - thanks Campbell Newman.

·Gympie to Brisbane - BEEP! - thanks Campbell Newman.

"Freight and travel costs will go through the roof in regional Queensland as businesses pass on this big new toll tax, with North Queensland facing the biggest increases," Mr Wallace said.

"Campbell Newman will bring SEQ rate rises and SEQ tolls to the regions.

"Campbell Newman is obsessed with tolls and he is looking longingly at tolling the Bruce," Mr Wallace said.

"But all he produced in Brisbane was a bankrupt toll tunnel and a dead-loss toll bridge that goes nowhere," he said.

"The answer is not gouging motorists but massively boosting funding from the Commonwealth," Mr Wallace said.

"The Bruce is in the state it is because the Howard Government gave only $100 million a year over 12 years, when many current LNP members were part of that government.

"In contrast the Gillard Government is giving an average of $480 a year - nearly five times more.

"The LNP wants to slug motorists for a problem that they helped create."

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