LOCAL LNP and ALP representatives have failed to gain any commitments from their parties on the duplication of the Mt Lindesay Highway through to Jimboomba despite seeing it as a top priority for the Logan and Beaudesert electorates.

With the five week campaign proper kicking off over the weekend, the Times this week asked ALP candidates Linus Power (Logan) and Brett McCreadie (Beaudesert), LNP candidates Michael Pucci (Logan) and Jon Krause (Beaudesert) and sitting Member for Beaudesert Aidan McLindon (Katter’s Australian Party), what their parties would deliver if elected.

“Strong advocacy” was the common response with only Mr McLindon providing time frames for his goals. He committed to advocate for the highway from Rosia Road to Jimboomba to be duplicated within four years, and a four lane highway constructed to Beaudesert by 2018.

“So far we’ve seen two stages done over the last three years and I would hope that the next three years would see the four-lane highway and a possible Jimboomba overpass,” he said.

Mr Pucci said if elected, the LNP would deliver all projects already funded in the Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program (QTRIP) 2010/11 to 2013/14 “in a timely and efficient manner”, however could not pledge whether the LNP could deliver duplication of the Mt Lindesay Highway between Rosia Road and Chambers Flat Road, or all the way to Jimboomba.

“I won’t make promises I can’t keep but I can make this promise that I will keep: I will fight for the people of Logan to get this project done,” he said.

When asked if the duplication of the Mt Lindesay Highway through to Jimboomba was on the LNP’s agenda, candidate for Beaudesert Jon Krause said the LNP understood “the Mt Lindesay Highway was a priority” for locals.

“(The duplication is) one of the options ... but in terms of delivering that, and funding that upgrade, what we’re saying is that we will deliver better infrastructure through cutting waste,” he said.

On the other side of the fence, the ALP’s Mr Power and Mr McCreadie both said the State Government was committed to the project and they would ensure that commitment continued.

“At this point in time any commitment would be announced by the Premier ... and at this point in the campaign I’m not in a position to do that,” Mr McCreadie said.

“I will add over the last three years Labor has undertaken somewhere in the vicinity of $63 million in capital projects when it comes to roads and their upkeep in the Beaudesert electorate.”

Mr Power said the Mt Lindesay Highway was a vital arterial road for the Logan electorate, and one of his major road priorities along with Wembley Road interchange.

“I’ll be continuing to push for more funding  for the Mt Lindesay Highway, but what it also shows is we’ve got a strong history of actually making the funding (happen),” he said.

At present there is no funding allocated toward  the duplication of the highway between Rosia Road and Chambers Flat Road.

At present, the QTRIP indicatively allocates $244 million for the interchange upgrade and duplication between Rosia Road and Chambers Flat Road, with construction to start “when finding becomes available”.

The 2011 Queensland Infrastructure Plan identifies $500 million is required for upgrading the highway through to Jimboomba by 2031, including planning.