Residents offer beer to minister

PALM Beach residents have told Transport Minister Mark Bailey to “end this Facebook nonsense” and talk about the trams over a beer.

Residents were reacting to a post Mr Bailey put on the Palm Beach Locals page about a study being kept confidential and the LNP’s opposition to the light rail running along the Gold Coast Hwy to the airport.

“How about drive down to Palm Beach for a couple of days Mark and see the potential destruction the light rail will have,” one resident wrote.

“I’ll buy you a beer and have a serious chat about it not this Facebook nonsense.”

Another resident posted: “I’ll join you to chat with Mark. Maybe meet at Barefoot at 8.15 on school drop time. Or an arvo beer at 5 at the palmy hotel (sic). Then explain to us how it will work.”

Burleigh MP Michael Hart said online that the full multimodal transport study was 120 pages, but the government had only released a two-page glossy brochure.

“Neither myself, the local councillor or the public have been allowed to see this. Why do you think that is? The government’s consultation is nonexistent and frankly makes a mockery of our community,” he said.

Mr Bailey defended the department’s decision to release a two-page summary of the study.

Right to Information said the study identified “associated land requirements” for the Gold Coast Hwy for the next 20 years and its release would “therefore have a negative impact for ongoing discussions and negotiations with stakeholders”.

“We’re doing the public transport planning for the Gold Coast that the LNP failed to do, with a multi-modal corridor study for the city’s south,” Mr Bailey said.

“A detailed summary of that study’s findings has been made available to the public and confirmed ... the Gold Coast Hwy route will benefit the community the most.”