NEW England MP Barnaby Joyce says securing $1.49 million for three accident-prone stretches of road is proof he can still get outcomes from the backbench.
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The former Deputy Prime Minister announced a roundabout at the notorious intersection of Browns Lane and Moore Creek Road would be built after securing $800,000 from the federal Black Spot program.
The intersection has been a bugbear for council and residents in the growing outer suburb, who launched a petition in May last year, calling for an urgent fix.
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“What this is showing, people are saying, ‘well, you’ve gone to the backbench, what are you doing’,” Mr Joyce said.
“I’m showing them I’m hard at work, I’m delivering and I’m making sure things are happening.”
Mr Joyce stepped-down from his roles in the federal ministry in February.
“We have $800,000 for this roundabout, it’s vitally important as Moore Creek grows, people can see it growing flat-out, there’s people moving from Sydney and other regional towns,” he said.
“That goes hand-in-glove with a half-a-million dollar to upgrade the Werris Creek Road and the Duri-Dungowan Road intersection, that also goes with close-to-$200,000 to upgrade the Thunderbolts Way at Walcha.”
Tamworth Regional Council was under pressure to stump-up the cash for the Browns Lane roundabout as a petition circled, however councillors voted in favour of holding-off in case it secured federal Black Spot funding in 2018.
Mayor Col Murray welcomed the funding announcements and said the roads had been identified as priority locations.