LNP ‘dysfunctional’ on tram future: MP

LIGHT rail and its future path south on the Gold Coast has left the LNP divided and dysfunctional on the Gold Coast, State Parliament has been told.

After reading yesterday’s Gold Coast Bulletin, Transport Minister Mark Bailey ridiculed the Coast LNP MPs for either being silent or against the expansion of the trams.

The Bulletin reported that senior Coast LNP MPs had refused to back a call by veteran MP Ray Stevens for a referendum on extending the track to Burleigh.

Mr Bailey targeted the Opposition after being asked in parliament yesterday about the Government investing heavily in transport infrastructure on the Glitter Strip.

“What we are seeing is the dysfunction and the division in Canberra is infecting the Queensland LNP,” Mr Bailey told Parliament.

“And there is no better example than Gold Coast light rail where we have eight Gold Coast MPs from the LNP and 15 different positions.”

Mr Bailey said Bonney MP Sam O’Connor wanted light rail to go to Harbour Town while Burleigh MP Michael Hart and Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey supported it going west rather than south through Burleigh.

“They want it to benefit his brewery and bar, what an ab- solute disgrace,” Mr Bailey told Parliament.

He described Mr Stevens’ speech on light rail as “extraordinary” where the Mermaid Beach MP referred to the trams as “being something that was inflicted on the Gold Coast like it was a disease”.

Surfers Paradise MP john Paul Langbroek and Southport MP Rob Molhoek “seemed to support it’.

“And of course the Member for Broadwater (David Crisafulli) is absolutely silent. The shark is prowling, as we have all these positions from the LNP, the dysfunctional LNP, he’s on the prowl,” Mr Bailey said. “What you will get on the Gold Coast from Labor is investing in infrastructure.”

In his speech on Tuesday, Mr Stevens called for a referendum of southern-based residents on light rail citing his main concern being that the infrastructure would create more highrise development.

“I warn residents of Broadbeach, Mermaid Beach, Nobby Beach and North Burleigh in my electorate: be prepared for a highrise coming next to you.” he said.

Mr Stevens warned that light rail had already transformed the southern end of Broadbeach.

He said highrise limits under the City Plan and backed up by the Government had been “greatly extended to underpin the usage of the light rail”.