The Queensland Opposition has thrown down the gauntlet to the Government, by reiterating that, if elected, a Coalition Government would in fact provide the second half of the required funding for the Beerwah to Maroochydore heavy rail line.
But Member for Caloundra Jason Hunt has hit back saying he has always “strongly” supported the heavy rail, but adds that it must be done right, “which is why our state government is currently conducting a jointly funded study into the project”.
The project cost has been set at $3.2b (although some suggest delays will see the final cost keep creeping up), with the Australian Government agreeing to pay half those funds in the October Federal Budget.
Read our recent related story: Federal Treasurer reveals future of $1.6b rail project funds.
The Queensland Government has not yet made any announcements on the 50:50 funding plan. However, Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said the Government would wait for a co-funded $6m planning project to be completed before putting a dollar figure on their overall investment.
Read our recent related story: Labor lashed for ‘insulting’ locals during visit but insist region’s transport future is on track.
State Member for Kawana and Deputy LNP Leader Jarrod Bleijie said the rail project is vital “to better connect the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and the Gold Coast”.
“The heavy passenger rail line from Beerwah to Caloundra to Kawana to Maroochydore will connect the Sunshine Coast to South-East Queensland in preparation for the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics.”
Mr Bleijie criticised the State Government for failing to allocate “a single dollar” in the budget “to build this major infrastructure project”.
“The Sunshine Coast Heavy Passenger Rail project has been on the books for more than 23 years and Labor has been in power for 20 of them.
“The former Federal Government put 50 per cent of the $3.2 billion cost on the table, but still nothing from the Palaszczuk Government and Caloundra MP Jason Hunt remains silent.”
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However, Mr Hunt pointed out the current study was required first.
“This has never happened before,”Mr Hunt said.
“If you don’t get these fundamentals correct you end up with the farcical situation we had at five minutes to midnight during the last federal campaign where our two Federal Members, in a blind panic, cited two completely different projects as costing models. How can anyone take that seriously?
“The Federal LNP did not contribute a single cent to this project in their last budget because they didn’t vote on their last budget, despite having every opportunity to do so.
“They essentially wrote a ‘fake budget’ that was more like a wish list on the back of a beer coaster. In addition, most of the fake funding was over five years away.”
See related story: Will political disconnect impact Olympics success on the Coast?
“I would remind the Sunshine Coast that the last LNP government in Queensland included Jarrod Bleijie the member for Kawana as a Cabinet Minister, this government sacked workers from TMR and stripped money out of TMR projects, meanwhile the current leader of the LNP in Queensland has already committed to a ‘Debt Reduction Plan’.
“The last time they committed to an identical plan, 14,000 Queenslanders lost their jobs.”
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