Break O’Day Mayor Mick Tucker says money in Thursday’s state budget for upgrades to the Great Eastern Drive came as a “welcome surprise.”
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Treasurer Peter Gutwein’s third budget included $6.3 million for the Great Eastern Drive, which Cr Tucker said would make the road safer for both tourists and locals.
“We need a lot of road infrastructure in our area to be upgraded as we haven’t had a lot for a long time,” he said.
“The amount was a little bit of a surprise, a very welcome surprise.
“The road did need upgrading and obviously the Premier recognised that fact.”
Cr Tucker said the reputation of the Great Eastern Drive had been improving, and he expected that upgrades would make the road more of a drawcard for tourists.
“There's no question the quality of the road when it’s upgraded will be quite superior to what it is now, and that will even enhance the comments from the tourists to their friends that ‘it’s a must see, must do, it’s a great road’,” he said.
“It’s exploded to be one of the best coastal drives probably in Australia, the reputation of the Great Eastern Drive is growing...”
Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten said there were a number of “worthy investments” located around Launceston included in the budget.
"The $25.7m in upgrades for high schools in the North including Queechy and East Launceston are certainly welcome, as is $1.7m for a redeveloped Northern Suburbs Community Centre (and) the $3m in funding to complete the Allied Health Clinic at the LGH,” he said.
"There are some things we are still hopeful of seeing, like an opportunity to create a cross-government and community taskforce to tackle health and amenity improvements in the Tamar River, investment in the Launceston City Heart Project and support for a major winter event in Launceston.
"There's a number of investors currently looking to Launceston for major projects and I hope this budget will be an additional shot of confidence that will see those proposals realised."
Mayor van Zetten said he hoped the budget would be the “shot of confidence” that would help the city see some major proposals realised.