The petition of electors of the seat of Hinchinbrook draws to the attention of the House that as residents and ratepayers of the Kennedy region request that the speed limit on the Bruce Highway through the town of El Arish be reduced from 80 klm to 60 klm on the grounds that:

1. El Arish is the only town of its size on the Bruce Highway between Cardwell and Cairns that does not have a 60klm speed limit, in fact some towns with a smaller population than El Arish have 60 klm speed limits on the Bruce Highway.

2. El Arish has residential streets opening onto the Bruce Highway.

3. El Arish has one of the busiest intersections on the Bruce Highway between Cardwell and Cairns.  The intersection is the El Arish-Mission Beach Road and the Bruce Highway.  El Arish is a major access point to Mission Beach.  Mission Beach is a tourist area that draws a lot of vehicle traffic through the intersection.

With the increased emphasis on road safety in mind your petitioners therefore request the House to reduce the speed limit on the Bruce Highway through the town of El Arish from 80 klm to 60 klm.