END OF LINE FOR FIGHTING

THE Gold Coast is once again suffering because two levels of government cannot work together.

Long-suffering residents endured years of pain as federal and state politicians squabbled over who would pay for much-needed upgrades of the M1.

The debate is still raging through the steam of tar being poured at vital bottlenecks to ease congestion for commuters after the top two tiers of government reluctantly agreed to a 50-50 funding split.

Motorists were forced to idle in traffic – and still are – while Brisbane and Canberra gleefully pocketed Gold Coast taxes.

The region suffered through lost productivity and parents struggled to get home to their families.

It seems the ear bashing was for nought because residents are being tortured again in the stop-go schoolboy fight that has become Stage 3 of the light rail.

Everyone agrees the trams have been a resounding success on the Gold Coast. They were applauded by visitors during last year’s Commonwealth Games and have moved people back into the inner city, providing a tangible link for residents and tourists. Patronage numbers have been staggering.

But the work has not been complete. All three levels of politics agree that extending the track from Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads is a no-brainer.

Yet, as reported today, Mayor Tom Tate has to pick up the dummies spat out by federal and state governments because they cannot agree on funding. He had to do the same when talks broke down regarding the M1.

As this newspaper has written many times previously, the city’s landscape does not help in trying to lure money for key projects.

Parties are often reluctant to throw cash at the Gold Coast in the lead up to elections – as seen in other regions in the past few weeks – because there is little to gain politically.

Forde is the city’s only marginal seat at the federal election. The rest are Coalition havens.

Of course, it should not stop politicians from doing the right thing and, in this case, the winner of the May 18 poll needs to cough up.

Both Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten have pledged $112 million to Stage 3A of the light rail. That is 17 per cent of the $660 million needed to build it, well short of the 38 per cent and 22 per cent committed respectively to Stage 1 and 2.

The cash-strapped State Government, still fuming after the M1 negotiations, is refusing to be hoodwinked over the tram deal and is trying to play tough.

The Gold Coast does not need another political stand-off. It needs a new tram line.

Both Mr Morrison and Mr Shorten should honour previous federal commitments to the light rail so the Gold Coast can continue building a better future for itself.

It is a small price to pay when considered the jobs and growth the new line will generate.

Get off the beaten track.