Bailey fires up on tram

Coast MP latest target

TRANSPORT Minister Mark Bailey has cemented himself as political enemy number one among Gold Coast LNP MPs as the fight about light rail funding escalates.

Bonney MP Sam O’Connor is the latest Opposition MP to clash with Mr Bailey after the Transport Minister called him a “rookie” and questioned his fight for the Gold Coast.

“Sam O’Connor should start demanding his federal LNP colleagues back the Gold Coast with decent infrastructure funding instead of ripping it off like they did on the M1,” Mr Bailey said.

“His capitulation to the LNP party line shows he’s picked up lazy habits from his older LNP colleagues.”

On Saturday, Mr Bailey said the Federal Government was $157.5 million short in its pledge to help fund the next stage of the light rail, from Broadbeach to Burleigh, after pledging $112 million for the $709 million project.

The Commonwealth contribution is about 16 per cent of the total funding, compared to 38 per cent it gave for Stage 1 and 22 per cent for Stage 2.

Mr O’Connor was told by the Minister to “find some courage” and stick up for the Coast after the LNP MP argued that the light rail was a State project and any federal funding was a bonus.

Mr O’Connor has since posted on his Facebook page: “I love light rail. It needs to be rolled out across our city.

“The next stage is to Burleigh and I’ve been trying to get the State Government to commit money to it. The other day I was a “rookie”, now I’m called “lazy” and told to “find some courage”.

“The only thing that Mark Bailey seems to do with his time is make up nastier insults. Imagine what he would be capable of if he spent even half his day doing his job and find funding for projects the Gold Coast needs.”

Mr O’Connor yesterday said he backed the light rail proceeding first to the airport and then developed to include three spur lines.

“I want the first to be at Biggera Waters, along Olsen Avenue to Harbour Town,” he said.

Mr Bailey has previously clashed with Burleigh MP Michael Hart in Parliament about his alleged business interests on a possible light rail route west to the Pacific Motorway.

Mr Hart accused Mr Bailey of spreading “bulls---” about him and talking “absolute crap” about a Canadian holiday during parliamentary sittings.

Coomera LNP MP Michael Crandon and the Transport Minister have also battled in the Parliament about M1 funding and exit upgrades.

Mr Bailey successfully defended accusations from Mr Crandon, in a complaint to the Speaker, that he deliberately misled the Parliament about M1 funding and the progress of the regional transport corridor.