HOW IT CAME TO THIS

December 2017: Light rail Stage 2 launches, sparking immediate calls for Stage 3 to be funded. September 2018: Gold Coast Bulletin reveals $112m federal funding proposal for tram extension in major budget leak. November 2018:

Prime Minister Scott Morrison visits Gold Coast and confirms funding for Stage 3. December 2018:

Results of state government and council business case reveals mass support for extension. January 2019: Final light rail deal declared to be “imminent”.

March 2019: Opposition Leader Bill Shorten confirms Labor will match LNP federal funding, but Transport Minister Mark Bailey says it is not enough.

April 2019: Gold Coast City Council prepares for emergency meeting to consider extra funding to end impasse. Mayor Tom Tate reveals the project has stalled, sparking an election funding battle between the state and federal governments.

May 2019: Science Minister Karen Andrews proposes shortening the Burleigh route to make it cheaper and without requiring more funding. The Morrison government is re-elected.

August 2019: The state government announces it will commit $351m to the Broadbeach to Burleigh rail link. November 2019: Light rail Stage 3 finally gets the green light after the federal government increases its stake on the project from $112m to $269m. October 2020:

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announces John Holland Group will be the contractor for the Broadbeach to Burleigh route, just three weeks before a state election. Labor wins the poll.

April 2021: Mr Bailey confirms contracts for Stage 3 have not yet been signed, delaying the project’s start and pushing up its costs.