Tram funding furore
THE Palaszczuk Government is under pressure to release its funding commitment for the next stage of Gold Coast light rail.
The Bulletin in the past week has put the spotlight on both the Morrison Government and Labor’s Gold Coastbased Senator Murray Watt after it was revealed the federal funding offers from both major parties were $45 million short.
Federal Labor is refusing to fight for extra funding above the Commonwealth commitment of $112 million for the project, which will see the trams extended from Broadbeach to Burleigh, explaining its priorities are Cross River Rail and the Pacific Motorway.
A majority of councillors, late on Tuesday after a closeddoor meeting, finalised the council’s confidential financial offer, to be sent to the state.
In a Question on Notice, Bonney LNP MP Sam O’Connor has asked State Transport Minister Mark Bailey: “What was the specific amount of funding requested from the Federal Government?” And “how much funding is the Queensland Government prepared to commit?”
“Federal funding is only ever going to be a small part of the total cost,” Mr O’Connor said. “This is a state project. At least two-thirds of the money will have to come from the State Government.
“So where is it?”
Mr Bailey accused the “rookie MP” of rolling over “to take the first and lowest funding deal on light rail” ever.
The former federal Labor government contributed $365 million towards the $949 million cost of light rail Stage 1, with the Federal LNP voting against it, Mr Bailey said.
“Under the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison LNP Government, federal funding for Stage 2 was drastically cut to $95 million, or only 23 per cent, with the Palaszczuk Labor Government left to do the heavy lifting with $270 million (64 per cent) to get this critical infrastructure delivered in time for the Commonwealth Games,” he said.
“The $112 million has been randomly chosen and will cover about only 16 per cent of the project’s cost.
“That’s a $157.5 million shortfall compared to the Stage 1 funding formula.
“We’ll consider our funding position on the next stage of light rail once we have received fair offers from the Federal Government and council.
“That offer for Stage 3A needs to be closer to a 38 per cent share.”