By Mitch Gaynor
FEDERAL Member for Fisher, Andrew Wallace, has called on the State Government to stump up its own funds for the Sunshine Coast Heavy Rail project after Federal Labor acknowledged it had committed $1.6 billion.
The project will deliver heavy passenger rail on the Sunshine Coast by connecting Beerwah to new stations at Caloundra, Kawana and Maroochydore.
Both the former federal coalition government and current Labor government have committed $1.6 billion to the project, which is seen as critical not just because of the 2032 Olympics, but to provide a mass transit system in the face of the region’s ballooning population,
The funding arrangement for the state-controlled project is based on a 50/50 split between the Federal and State Governments.
A spokesperson for Infrastructure Minister Catherine King, confirmed that dialogue with the State Government was ongoing.
“Through the 2022-23 October Federal Budget, the Australian Government has worked with the Queensland Government to identify, plan and fund priority transport infrastructure investments, and will continue to do so,” the spokesperson told GC&M News.
“The Budget maintains the $1.6 billion committed by the former government for the Sunshine Coast Direct Line (Beerwah to Maroochydore Rail Extension).”
The Queensland Government has been critical of the former coalition’s $1.6bn spending promise, but last week Transport Minister Mark Bailey said Labor’s funding was “refreshing” in that it would be voted and passed by the government.
Mr Wallace urged the State Government to stump up its share of the funding to ensure the project is delivered well before 2032.
“We need to put continuous pressure to hold State Labor to account,” Mr Wallace said.
“They have done nothing but play politics, make up excuses, stall, and delay since the previous Coalition Government’s announcement in March.
“Until the first train pulls into Maroochydore, I call on the Sunshine Coast community to make their voices heard and tell State Labor to get on board.”
The project will cut travel time, reduce road congestion, and make mass transit accessible to Sunshine Coast residents, with reduced travel times between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast and within.
“With less than ten years to run before the Olympics and the Paralympics, where the Sunshine Coast will host a number of events, it is imperative that we get that train line built well before the torch is lit,” Mr Wallace said.
“But regardless of a major sporting event, Sunshine Coast Rail will revolutionise the way we move people in southeast Queensland – busting congestion on our busiest roads and reducing the use of cars and thereby carbon emissions.”
