Ciobo v Premier heats up

GOLD Coast Federal Minister Steven Ciobo plans going it alone to pursue a hi-tech Brisbane-Gold Coast transport fix called hyperloop after the Premier told him it had “no business case”.

Mr Ciobo invited State Government to explore the viability of the idea – transporting people at 1080km per hour inside sealed elevated tubes – after he visited Hyperloop One HQ in the United States.

Hyperloop’s website says it would cut headache M1 Brisbane-GC trips to 10 minutes.

Queensland Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey panned it as “Jetsons-like fantasies” despite Virgin mogul Richard Branson being an investor and Tesla founder Elon Musk backing the idea.

Mr Ciobo wrote to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk who has forwarded his invite to work together to Mr Bailey.

Her response, which she shared with the Bulletin, also asks for clarity from Mr Ciobo about Federal Government’s transport priorities in the state.

She wrote hyperloop and other Federal preferences “have neither business cases nor environmental impact statements” unlike Cross River Rail due to finish in 2024 or her Government’s Varsity Lakes to Tugun M1 upgrades.

“My Government has consistently supported proven

transport infrastructure projects. I would respectively request the Federal Government ... provide a similar level of consistency.”

Mr Ciobo said Mr Bailey “has already written it off so I’m guessing that is not going anywhere.

“I’m disappointed the Queensland Government’s instinctive reaction was to play politics. I wrote seeking to explore the feasibility and I will now pursue this regardless of the State Government’s complete lack of interest.

“I note the Premier’s muchtouted solution for M1 traffic woes is Cross River Rail,” he said, adding Infrastructure Australia’s review of it concluded its costs as presented were likely to exceed benefits.