State quiet on M1

Shorten matches PM’s $1b pledge

PRESSURE is growing on the Palaszczuk Government to match the Federal Government’s $1 billion commitment to fix the M1.

Despite repeated requests for comment yesterday, Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey went to ground after the Federal Labor Opposition Leader Bill Shorten unexpectedly formed a unity ticket with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in favour of a 50-50 funding split between the two tiers of government.

In a stopover in Brisbane yesterday, Mr Shorten offered to tip in $1 billion of federal money to upgrade the M1. He also commited $2.24 billion to the Cross River Rail project in Brisbane, if successful at next year’s federal election.

Mr Turnbull said his $1 billion for the M1 would be included in next month’s federal election if the State Government agreed to the deal.

The Palaszczuk Government wants an 80-20 funding split and has committed $206 million to the upgrade.

Mr Bailey’s office did not respond to questions put to him by the Gold Coast Bulletin yesterday.

McPherson MP Karen Andrews said work would begin on the M1 as soon as a funding agreement was reached.

“The Federal Opposition has now come out and supported the Turnbull Government and we are now locked in for a $1 billion contribution for the upgrade,” she said.

“It is now time for Labor at the state level to get on board and getting Gold Coasters out of the M1 car park.

“This is a sound offer and $1 billion is an enormous amount of money.”

Mr Turnbull’s plan includes:

• The M1 will be widened between Varsity Lakes and Tugun from four to six lanes, with a new off-ramp built in the northbound lanes to connect with Southport-Burleigh Road.

• The motorway will be widened from six to eight lanes on the Brisbane stretch between Eight Mile Plains and Daisy Hill.

The Turnbull $2 billion Government’s contribution is expected to be featured in the federal budget next month.

In a separate deal reached last year, the federal and state governments agreed to spend $500 million on other areas of the M1. It included widening the motorway between Mudgeeraba and Varsity Lakes.

Work on the stretch of road is expected to start within weeks now that the Commonwealth Games have concluded.

Daily capacity of 162,000 vehicles could be reached on the M1 as early as next year, and the congestion expected to cost workers more than $400 million in lost wages.