The acting Prime Minister Warren Truss has released plans for the $1.3-billion dollar Gateway upgrade.

But he didn’t escape being asked about Julia Gillard’s first public appearance since being sidelined.

Daniel Winters reports.

TRANSCRIPT

The Gateway upgrade is a joint plan between Federal and State governments in a deal done before the last election.

11.3 kilometres of road between Nudgee and Bracken Ridge will be widened to six lanes, with upgrades also planned for the Deagon Deviation and Nudgee intersection.

The coalition will provide $1-billion for the project, with the remaining point three coming from by the Queensland Government.

Warren Truss, Acting Prime Minister: “They will employ lots of Queenslanders, they will get rid of accident spots and make sure traffic flows more freely.”

Ironically only 10 minutes away, on the Bruce Highway, an accident involving two B-doubles brought traffic to a stand still for hours.

Salvage crews managed to clear the wreckage in time for the afternoon peak hour.

Mr Truss said tenders for the upgrade would be called early next year.

With the route now planned and available online, the public will be able to have their say on the upgrade, which will take several years to construct.

But Mr Truss would not be drawn on the issue of Julia Gillard’s first public appearance since losing the top job.

Warren Truss, Acting Prime Minister: “That was an occasion for Julia Gillard to reminisce on the past, in some cases rewrite history.”

He indicated that the road ahead was now a matter for Ms. Gillard and the Labor Party.

Daniel Winters, QUT News.