Budget strips Coast $164m
THE State Budget has short changed the Gold Coast at least $164 million in vital infrastructure compared to last year, according to the Opposition.
Labor is projected to spend $784.5 million on infrastructure on the Glitter Strip in the next financial year, down nearly 20 per cent on 2016-17.
LNP Deputy Leader Deb Frecklington yesterday said the Palaszczuk Government always promised infrastructure but never delivered.
“This Government has cut infrastructure in the Gold Coast by $164 million. This donothing Labor Government continues to starve regional Queensland of vital infrastructure investment – they have essentially sold out regional Queenslanders.
THIS GOVERNMENT HAS CUT INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE GOLD COAST BY $164 MILLION.
LNP DEPUTY LEADER DEB FRECKLINGTON
“Over the next four years capital purchases are predicted to be half-a-billion dollars lower under Labor.”
LNP Albert MP Mark Boothman said Labor had not delivered one single new infrastructure project for the region in this year’s Budget.
“Once again the Gold Coast will miss out on its fair share in favour of securing inner-city Brisbane votes,” he said.
Mudgeeraba MP Ros Bates MP accused Premier Annasta- cia Palaszczuk and Treasurer Curtis Pitt of delivering a Budget that contained nothing for her Mudgeeraba electorate.
“We have been blatantly disregarded and it is our local area that will miss out as a result. This is nothing more than a cynical attempt to shore up Labor seats before the next election.”
A Bulletin report yesterday outlined how the Government’s focus, apart from the Cross River Rail, was on major infrastructure spends in the state’s north where Labor needs to win marginal seats.
“All Labor has been able to muster up in almost three years is $179,000 to seal a walking track in Springbrook National Park at Natural Bridge,” Ms Bates said.
“In contrast, the LNP invested more than $1 million for a new suspension bridge and walking track upgrades at Purlingbrook Falls in 2014.”
Broadwater MP Verity Barton said several key projects had again gone unfunded in her northern Coast electorate.
Priority issues included the duplication of the Jabiru Island bridges between Paradise Point and Hope Island and permanent increased police resourcing at the Runaway Bay police station.
Ms Barton has also questioned the low spend for ongoing dredging of the expansive Broadwater by the Gold Coast Waterways Authority.
“While the Palaszczuk Labor Government continues to penalise Gold Coasters for returning LNP MPs, Curtis Pitt has shown he’s not opposed to pork barrelling in marginal Labor electorates” Ms Barton said.