North’s priority placed on hold
THE State Government has been accused of leaving Townsville “out in the cold” after dropping the region’s only early- stage infrastructure project off its priority list.
LNP North Queensland spokesman Dale Last slammed the Government for “abandoning” the Townsville Eastern Access Rail Corridor (TEARC), effectively leaving the region without any Stage 1 projects in the pipeline.
“Less infrastructure projects in the pipeline means more congestion, worse services, degrading facilities and less jobs for Townsville,” he said.
The Government’s June 2018 Pipeline report, which details the different stages of infrastructure proposals, did not include any Townsville- based projects.
Mr Last said the majority of projects in the pipeline were focused on southeast Queensland.
“( It’s) just more evidence that this Labor Government doesn’t care about regional Queensland,” he said.
“Worse still, Labor has dishonestly cut the Townsville Eastern Access Rail Corridor from the project’s pipeline,” he said. The report said TEARC had been moved out of the pipeline as preservation of the rail corridor was progressing consistent with the recommendations of its detailed business case.
“This approach will de- risk the delivery of the project when it is to proceed,” the report said.
The State Government committed about $ 8 million to the preservation of the rail corridor for future use in its 2018/ 19 Budget.
Queensland State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Cameron Dick defended the Government’s decision to shelve TEARC when asked about the project in a Estimates Hearing in Brisbane yesterday.
“The business case found the freight line was important but current demand did not support construction of the rail line at this stage,” he said. Mr Dick said there were a number of projects in the concept or planning phase, or for which the state was seeking a Federal Government contribution.
“Projects include the Port of Townsville channel capacity upgrade, a 50MW Hydro electricity station at the Burdekin Falls Dam, Townsville Ring Road Stage 5, Mount Isa to Townsville rail corridor, Burdekin Falls Dam safety upgrade and the Pimlico Northern Emergency Services Hub.”