COOMERA REJECTOR
LNP pounces on Labor costings
LABOR will only fund 35 per cent of the Coomera Connector in the next term of government, warns the LNP.
Labor has promised $755m for a second M1 in a 50/50 funding agreement with the Commonwealth, for a six-lane 16.6km road from Carrara to the Coomera Marine Precinct.
But its costings released in a Working Together for Queensland 2020 Election Financial statement reveal $270.25m over the next four years for the Coomera Connector. Labor has accused the LNP of hiding its own costings.
FINANCIAL documents reveal Labor will only fund 35 per cent of the Coomera Connector in the next term of government, warns the LNP.
Labor has promised $755m for a second M1 in a 50/50 funding agreement with the commonwealth, for a six-lane 16.6km road from Carrara to the Coomera Marine Precinct.
But Labor’s costings released in a Working Together for Queensland 2020 Election financial statement tell another story – $270.25m across the next four years for the Coomera Connector.
Labor has responded to the political attack by accusing the LNP of hiding its own costings.
LNP Deputy Leader and Shadow Treasurer Tim Mander said the document showed Labor’s plans were “halfbaked”.
“Labor’s costings show that their second M1 is literally a road to nowhere. It’s a halfbaked con,” he said.
“All Labor is funding is a new bridge over the Coomera River. Building a second M1 clearly isn’t a priority for Labor.
“The LNP’s commitment is three times bigger than Labor because we will commit the full $755m in the next four years. Only the LNP will fast-track and build a second M1.”
The LNP has promised to build the first stage of the road from Helensvale to Coomera in the next four-year term of government. Their proposal is a four-lane highway.
Coomera MP Michael Crandon, during Gold Coast Bulletin election forums, said he was confident work would begin within six months of the new government being elected and “completed within the first term”.
Transport Minister Mark Bailey told the Bulletin: “The LNP has time to read and ask questions about Labor’s second M1 plan for funding major Gold Coast projects but still hides from voters how they’d pay for their $26bn of unfunded election promises as hundreds of thousands of people vote each day.
“Labor has been open and clear with Queenslanders that we will borrow $4bn to pay for our election commitments.
“We followed that up by releasing our full election costings for everyone to see.
“The LNP still hasn’t been honest with Queenslanders, keeping secret what they will cut, who they will sack and what they will sell to fund their rush to a surplus right up to the last few days of the campaign.”
Mr Bailey said the funding for the 16km stage one of the second M1 would be partly covered from borrowings and partly from future transport budgets in the next term of government, with the Department of Transport and Main Roads funded for growth each and every year.
“We’ve accelerated this project so construction can start by mid-2021 and will progressively open sections over the coming years, including within the next term of government,” he said.