Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey has called on Malcolm Turnbull to focus on national projects that require federal funding like the Beerburrum to Nambour rail line as the Prime Minister splashes cash across the Longman electorate.
“We welcome the Turnbull Government’s sudden interest in the people of Longman and the recently announcement Bribie Island Road funding to match what we have already spent on that road, but the Federal Coalition sadly do not have good form in appropriately investing in this region,” Mr Bailey said.
“Residents of Longman will be some of the biggest beneficiaries of the critically important Beerburrum to Nambour rail line duplication, which will deliver increased capacity, travel time savings for passenger and freight services, and increased reliability on the North Coast Line.
“The Palaszczuk Government allocated $160.8 million in funding for this upgrade in this year’s budget, ensuring detailed design can get underway followed by construction.
“But the Turnbull Government is continuing to treat the people of Longman and the Sunshine Coast as second class citizens, so far only offering to fund the project on a 50:50 basis.
“That’s despite the fact that the federal LNP Government amended the national land transport network to include the Beerburrum to Nambour rail line, necessitating an 80:20 funding split, according to their own rules.” http://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/jb/releases/2014/December/jb137_2014.aspx
“We are just asking for a fair funding deal.
Mr Bailey said more than $20 million had already been allocated to Caboolture-Bribie Island Road by the State, including:
Upgrade of Caboolture-Bribie Island intersection with Old Toorbul Point Road - $10.5 million
Safety improvements at the Lee and Peel Road intersection and Aylward Road intersection at Ningi - $3.7 million
Detailed planning and design to improve motorist and pedestrian safety on Caboolture-Bribie Island Road between Kal Ma Kuta Drive and Bestmann Road (East) intersections - $755,000
Installation of a dedicated right-turn lane on Caboolture-Bribie Island Road - $797,000
Planning to upgrade two-lane section of Caboolture-Bribie Island Road to four-lane, median divided carriageway between Hickey and Saint Roads intersections - $3 million
Resurfacing works undertaken on both carriageways of Caboolture-Bribie Island Road, west of Lee and Peel Road intersection - $1.5 million
“What’s more, Mr Turnbull’s $20 million is small change which won’t even make a dent into the full cost of his proposed extra lane from Saints Road to Hickey Road, including the Old Toorbul Road intersection,” Mr Bailey said.
“The Department of Transport and Main Roads’ preliminary estimate indicates that those upgrades would in fact cost between $100 to $160 million.
“The Palaszczuk Government is continuing to invest heavily in transport infrastructure across the North Coast district, including Bribie Island Road, as part of another record investment in road and transport infrastructure for the third year in a row.
“Our funding total is $700 million higher than the previous QTRIP, despite the fact that funding from the Federal LNP government has decreased by 6.2%. Thankfully this has been offset by a 10% increase in the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment.
“In this year’s budget we are delivering $509.7 million in this region alone,” he said.
Major projects being delivered across the North Coast District include:
Bruce Highway Upgrade Project, continue widening of the highway from four to six lanes between Caloundra Road to Sunshine Motorway and upgrading the interchanges for a total cost of $812.9 million (2018-19 $200 million in joint funding)
Bruce Highway, continue installing safety barriers along the highway between Beerburrum and Cooroy for a total cost of $79.8 million (2018-19 $42.5 million in joint funding)
Burpengary Caboolture Road (locally known as Morayfield Road) and Beerburrum Road Route Safety project, start work on safety treatments along these sections between the Bruce Highway and D’Aguilar Highway overpass for a total cost of $28.8 million (2018-19 $8 million, state funding)
Continue upgrades to improve access to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for a total cost of $22 million (2018-19 $4.8 million) with works starting on a third package to improve capacity at Nicklin Way between Main Drive and Waterview Street and provide access from Production Avenue to Kawana Way (State funding)
Caboolture Connection Road Route Safety Strategy, continue safety improvements along various locations on Caboolture Connection Road between the Bruce Highway and D’Aguilar Highway for a total cost of $7.6 million (2018-19 $3.7 million in State funding)