CLOSE TO GREEN LIGHT FOR M1 UPGRADE
THE daily congestion on the M1 is pulling tourist numbers down but Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the State and Federal governments are close to a solution.
Gold Coast Tourism chairman Paul Donovan said visitor numbers from places just a drive away were below expectations for the Coast.
“It has been a little bit soft but I think that’s a combination of the M1 and some other things,” he said.
“We just have to keep working on promoting.”
Mr Donovan’s comments came just moments after the Premier gave the first sign of hope in the longstanding battle to fund upgrades of the M1.
The State and Federal governments have been arguing for almost a year about which should provide a majority of the funding for the upgrade.
The Federal Government says the funding should be split evenly while the state is angling for the Turnbull Government to foot 80 per cent of the bill.
Federal Minister for Urban Infrastructure Paul Fletcher and State Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey were unable to come to a formal arrangement when they met last year.
Ms Palaszczuk said the pair would be meeting again in the next couple of weeks.
“I believe we are getting close to a solution,” she said.
The Premier said she was exasperated by the drawn out discussions.
“I am sick and tired of the fights that happen between the State Government and the Federal Government at a national level,” she said.
“You want to know why people are getting disillusioned and disenchanted with the politics and the two major parties? Because they are sick and tired of the fights.”
Mr Fletcher and Mr Bailey were less positive about an agreement being close.
Through spokesmen both ministers said they had met on a number of occasions and an announcement would be made once an agreement was reached.
“Minister Fletcher has met with Minister Bailey on this matter on multiple occasions,” Mr Fletcher’s spokesman said.
“He has been joined in these negotiations by (Member for Forde) Bert van Manen and (Member for McPherson) Karen Andrews who have been pressing hard for an outcome.”
Mayor Tom Tate said the Premier’s message was “very positive”.
“The message has been received loud and clear by the Federal Government and the State Government that Gold Coasters want the M1 fixed,” he said.