By Sonia Isaacs
THE state government’s first budget has come under fire from opposition leaders, who claim key Sunshine Coast infrastructure projects — including the high-profile public transport initiative The Wave – are being undermined by ambiguous funding and a lack of clarity.
The LNP government, however, maintains its budget delivers record investment in critical transport infrastructure. In a joint statement, Treasurer David Janetzki and Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg identified The Wave as a key project, with an additional $40 million earmarked in the 2025–26 Budget to accelerate planning for stages two and three.
Shadow Minister for Transport and Main Roads Bart Mellish said the budget offered no clear funding pathway for the long-awaited Sunshine Coast Direct Rail project, now branded The Wave, despite government claims of record infrastructure investment.
“This first budget from the LNP is a shocker,” Mr Mellish said during a visit to the region on Wednesday (June 25). “It is full of deception, full of mistruths, and full of cuts to infrastructure, particularly here on the Sunshine Coast.
Mr Mellish said while the former Labor government had secured $5.5 billion to build heavy rail to Caloundra, there was now “zero dollars” clearly allocated to advance the next stages of the project.
“It’s pretty clear that this LNP budget doesn’t stack up when it comes to transport infrastructure on the Sunshine Coast,” he said.
Scrutiny of the 2025 Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program (QTRIP) shows no explicit line item for the $40 million, listing The Wave (Stage 2 and 3) only under the “planning underway” category for projects valued up to $250 million. Within the budget, details are currently scarce regarding the government’s broader $5.6 billion budget commitment, to the project.
Following inquiry from GC&M News, the Transport Minister’s office did not confirm whether this $5.6 billion budget figure includes the previously secured allocation of $5.5 billion for Stage 1.
A spokesperson said that under the updated QTRIP framework, detailed project costs would be disclosed only after proper planning and competitive tendering – a shift the government says will prevent inflated costs and deliver better taxpayer value.
Mr Mellish remained unconvinced. “There’s no timeline, no clarity, no certainty,” he said. “We don’t know when it starts, when local contractors can expect to tender, or when it will be completed.”
He said the lack of transparency raised serious concerns about the project being delivered in time for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. “If this project doesn’t start by 2026, it cannot be completed in time for the Olympics,” Mr Mellish warned. “The government’s slipping through on a lack of detail.”
In response, Mr Mickelberg defended the budget as a responsible, forward-looking investment in the state’s transport future.“We are delivering a record $42 billion in transport projects and programs across Queensland – more than ever before,” he said.
“Of that, $7.2 billion will be invested in the North Coast region over the next four years, including The Wave, the Mooloolah River Interchange upgrade, the Caloundra Congestion Busting Plan, and getting the Beerburrum to Nambour rail duplication back on track.”
He rejected criticism over transparency and planning delays, saying the new approach ensures projects are properly scoped before costs are locked in. “Under Labor, inflated project costs were announced before proper planning or market testing – that’s not transparency, that’s waste,” he said. “We are being upfront with procurement and construction timeframes in QTRIP – something not done previously.”
But with the Olympic countdown ticking and local pressure mounting, both sides face growing demands for greater clarity and accountability on the Coast’s biggest infrastructure promise.
sonia@gcnews.com.au
