Portfolio — 17 July 2026

The Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Assistant Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Assistant Minister for Resources and Deputy Manager of Government Business in the Senate, Senator Chisholm, confirmed the appointment of HEH Civil as the early works contractor for the Cairns Western Arterial Road upgrade [TA-260716-infras-34ae1181e50e:m39801].

The contract covers the relocation of water and sewer infrastructure within the road corridor between the Kamerunga Bridge over the Barron River and the Captain Cook Highway — site preparation work designed to clear the path for the main construction phase [TA-260716-infras-34ae1181e50e:m39801]. Works on the Lake Placid Road to Captain Cook Highway section are scheduled for completion in late 2027, subject to weather and construction conditions.

Funding for the project sits across both federal and state budgets. The final cost will not be disclosed until the major construction contracts are awarded — a sequencing that leaves the total financial commitment open for now. The portfolio frames the early works as a mechanism to streamline delivery, reduce future community disruption, and accommodate the growing population of Far North Queensland.

This announcement extends Senator Chisholm's recent portfolio activity into regional infrastructure. Earlier communications addressed the urea shipment under the Fuel and Fertiliser Security Facility, a supply-chain instrument sitting across his agriculture and resources responsibilities. The Cairns Western Arterial Road early works sit squarely in the regional development stream, but the same minister's span across agriculture, resources, and regional development means individual announcements tend to reflect one thread of a broader portfolio presence in Queensland and regional Australia.