TRAM JAM IN BUDGET BYPASS
Southern light rail snubbed as Feds told to ‘step up’ while northern schools, roads grab bulk of Coast pie
THE Palaszczuk Government has refused to set aside a single dollar to help fund the next stage of Gold Coast’s light rail, claiming it’s up to the Feds to “step up to the plate”.
The State Budget snub has been condemned by the city’s leaders including mayor Tom Tate who said the project was “too important to be playing politics”.
Instead, the Gold Coast’s fast-growing northern suburbs were the big winners in yesterday’s cash splash, representing 19 of the Coast’s 30 key funding projects. More than $807 million in infrastructure funding has been committed.
LIGHT rail in the south is stalled as the Queensland Government focuses on reducing congestion on the M1 and inside schools in the city’s north.
The State Budget yesterday revealed $807 million would be spent on infrastructure on the Coast in the next financial year, providing 2500 jobs. This compares to $680 million and 2300 jobs this year.
But the amount – from a total state infrastructure spend of $49.5 billion over four years – is less than rival regions Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay ($1.5 billion), Townsville ($930 million), Far North Queensland ($967 million) and Ipswich ($895 million).
Nineteen of 30 key Budget projects pledged for the Gold Coast in the next financial year are north of Robina.
Treasurer Jackie Trad told the Gold Coast Bulletin the focus was to find solutions for M1 gridlock and providing much-needed facilities in the fast-growing northern corridor. Labor’s strategy with light rail stage 3A is to drive a better deal with the Commonwealth, but providing no funding shocked the LNP and effectively stalls the tram extension from Broadbeach to Burleigh.
Transport Minister Mark Bailey told the Bulletin: “The biggest project missing in that list (for transport upgrades) is of course the next stage of Gold Coast light rail. Queensland is no different to any other State Government in relying on the Federal Government to help fund major projects. On a day which is supposed to be a celebration of sorts, Transport Minister Mark Bailey described light rail as “the crowning disappointment” after the Commonwealth pledged 16 per cent of the project’s total cost, $157.5 million short of what the State Government said was needed. The Treasurer said: “We think they need to step up to the plate.” But from the cheap seats, where the average punter sits, no one is hitting a ball out of the park here. EDITORIAL P18
“That is the simple reality. Unfortunately, the Morrison Government appears to have reverted back to Tony Abbott’s anti-public transport policies, at least in Queensland.”
The key budget expenditure and commitments for the Coast includes:
• $1.5 billion for the Pacific Motorway upgrade between Mudgeeraba and Varsity Lakes.
• $96 million to fund planning for Exit 41 at Yatala South and Exit 49 at Pimpama.
• $10 million commitment to do an options analysis and business case for the second M1.
• $60 million to support the delivery of the master plan for The Southport Spit.
• Exemption threshold for payroll tax to be increased for all businesses from $1.1 million to $1.3 million meaning 1500 additional businesses will no longer pay from July.
• Fully funded construction of three new rail stations at Pimpama, Helensvale North and Worongary/Merrimac as work continues on Cross River Rail.
• Additional funding of $13.9 million over two years to progress market approaches for the global tourism hub procurement processes including the Coast and for the contract management of Queen’s Wharf in Brisbane.
• Increased funding of $45.2 million over five years to support Screen Queensland. This includes increased funding of $35.7 million over three years from 2018-19 for the Production Attraction Strategy
• Up to $114 million for two new schools at Coomera and Pimpama and continued classroom builds at schools including Palm Beach Currumbin State, Pacific Pines State, Pimpama Primary College, Broadbeach Primary and others.
• $1 million in partnership with the local tourism industry, to position the Coast as a mustvisit for families from the key visitor markets of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Against a backdrop of a gloomy national economy, the State Budget surplus will be $841 million, almost $700 million higher than expected thanks to strong royalties.
Queensland debt for the 2019-20 financial year is $78.7 billion, set to climb to $90.7 billion in 2022-23.
When questioned on debt, Ms Trad said: “The current levels of debt are manageable and they are stable. Our debt to revenue will be kept at stable levels. They are now lower than they were in 2014-15. The way you reduce debt, as Scott Morrison said, is to grow the economy.”