RAIL - Back On Track Forum

Sent to all outlets:

Stopping Self-Defeating/Questionable Road Projects No.1 Priority for New Transport Minister

18th December 2023

With a new Transport Minister on the way, and Ms. Stannard recently appointed as Director-General DTMR, there is no better time to pause "congestion busting" road projects around Brisbane and SEQ,  which have been described by Engineers Australia as "self-defeating" and "questionable" investment.

RAIL Back On Track has been campaigning over the last 18 years for a change in the direction of transport planning and the way the State, Local and Federal Governments prioritise their transport budgets.

As highlighted in April this year, the Queensland Government updated Measures that Matter for 2022 https://planning.dsdmip.qld.gov.au/mtm?theme=connect (Figure 1) clearly shows that transport planning, investment and operations in SEQ is simply making a bad situation worse.

SEQ Transport and City Planning by all levels of Government has failed to deliver any change towards the 2031 Targets for car usage (Figure 2) and actually increased car use from the 1996 IRTP Trend (Figure 3).

Many cities around the world saw dramatic declines in car use due to COVID so the fact SEQ has remained the same is an utterly damning indictment of the current transport/city planning policies and political name calling.

And the people of Queensland are paying the price with each trip by car that was targeted to be by active or public transport is costing the tax-payer up to 6 times more in subsides.  Most of this subsidy is in the health budget. (Figure 4)

Whilst there are some big public transport projects like CRR, Gold Coast Light Rail and Faster Rail to the Gold Coast underway. Others, like the North and Sunshine Coast rail lines are decades behind schedule and BCC is just doing it's own thing and thumbing its nose at the former Transport Minister.  Meanwhile the majority of the transport investment is still being poured into "congestion-busting" road projects. The same projects which Engineers Australia concluded in their Urban Transport Systems - A Transport Australia Society Discussion Paper with "This makes attempting to "bust traffic congestion" through road construction, self-defeating".

https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/2022-01/Urban-Transport-Systems-TAS-Discussion-Paper-December-2021-revised.pdf

RAIL Back On Track is confident that an analysis of freight by rail in SEQ will be equally damning if not worse!

Now is the perfect time to shake up Transport Planning across Queensland and the move to the prioritisation of active and transport in transport budgets at all levels of Government.

The new Transport Minister and Director-General must lead this change, and establish collaborative, productive, politics-free working relationships with local Governments particularly BCC. BCC also needs to drop the political game playing and let the Transport Department and Translink lead the planning and operation of active and public transport across SEQ.

It is also time to drop 'Main Roads' from the Department title as no single mode of transport is more important than the others!

Figure 1 - Measures that Matter SEQ Mode Share
https://backontrack.org/docs/media/mrdec23/figure1.jpg





Figure 2 - Connecting SEQ 2031 Target Mode Share
https://backontrack.org/docs/media/mrdec23/figure2.jpg





Figure 3 - 1996 Integrated Transport Plan Trend and Target
https://backontrack.org/docs/media/mrdec23/figure3.jpg





Figure 4 - Cost of Your Commute
https://backontrack.org/docs/media/mrdec23/figure4.jpg




Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

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Couriermail --> Olympics axed, focus on crime in Miles' ministerial shake-up $

QuoteFormer premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's obsession with the Olympic and Paralympic Games has been repudiated by Steven Miles, who will axe three portfolios and refuse to name a dedicated minister for the role.

It is a stunning reversal from eight days ago, when Ms Palaszczuk was Olympics minister and two ministers were assisting her on Olympic sport and Olympic infrastructure.

Mr Miles will axe the three Olympic-related portfolios and fold responsibility for the 2032 Games into the responsibilities of Grace Grace, who will become state development, infrastructure, industrial relations and racing Minister.

She will not have Olympic and Paralympic Games in her title. ...

Couriermail --> A 'sick joke': Choice of Qld's new top bureaucrat slammed $

QuoteMike Kaiser's appointment as Queensland's top public servant has been labelled a "sick joke" by the LNP, which argues his appointment will hurt democracy.

Premier Steven Miles will appoint Mr Kaiser Director-General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, replacing Annastacia Palaszczuk's appointment, Rachel Hunter.

Opposition Integrity spokeswoman Fiona Simpson raised concerns with Mr Kaiser – a former Labor MP, Labor state secretary and "self-confessed vote rorter" – now in charge of the apolitical public service.

"To put someone with these blatant ties to Labor and a history of vote rorting is a sick joke and is a terrible tone to set for Public Servants," she said.

"This appointment, in the shadows of an election year, will have a chilling effect on our democracy." ...

^ sends the wrong signals from day one. 

SPAD ! 

They all do it? A former TMR DG comes to mind!

https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/qld-politics/olympics-axed-focus-on-crime-in-miles-ministerial-shakeup/news-story/fcee64976b25b022491c87fb6c0ed8d3

QLD'S NEW MINISTRY UNDER PREMIER STEVEN MILES

THE MINISTRY

STEVEN MILES Premier

CAMERON DICK Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment

GRACE GRACE Minister for State Development and Infrastructure, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Racing

SHANNON FENTIMAN Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women

YVETTE D'ATH MP Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence

MICHAEL DE BRENNI Minister for Clean Economy and Jobs

MEAGHAN SCANLON Minister for Housing, Local Government and Planning and Minister for Public Works
MARK RYAN Minister for Police and Community Safety

LEEANNE ENOCH Minister for Treaty, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Minister for Communities and Minister for the Arts

DI FARMER Minister for Education and Minister for Youth Justice

MARK FURNER Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities

GLENN BUTCHER Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing and Minister for Water

SCOTT STEWART Minister for Resources and Critical Minerals

LEANNE LINARD Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef and Minister for Science and Innovation

NIKKI BOYD Minister for Fire and Disaster Recovery and Minister for Corrective Services

BART MELLISH Minister for Transport and Main Roads and Minister for Digital Services

LANCE MCCALLUM Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development

CHARIS MULLEN Minister for Child Safety, Minister for Seniors and Disability Services and Minister for Multicultural Affairs

MICHAEL HEALY Minister for Tourism and Sport

ASSISTANT MINISTER

BRUCE SAUNDERS Assistant Minister for Train Manufacturing, Regional Development, and Jobs.

JULIEANNE GILBERT Assistant Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Industrial Relations and Racing

BRITTANY LAUGA Assistant Minister for Health and Regional Health Infrastructure

ALI KING Assistant Minister for Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works

JENNIFER HOWARD Assistant Minister for Treasury, Trade and Investment

SHANE KING Assistant Minister for Clean Energy Jobs

CORRINE MCMILLAN Assistant Minister for Education and Youth Justice

JAMES SULLIVAN Assistant Minister for Justice and Veterans Affairs

Mr Bart Mellish

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Members/Current-Members/Member-List/Member-Details?id=1251623312

Parliamentary Service

Current:

Assistant Minister to the Premier for Veterans' Affairs and the Public Sector: 18 May 2023

Past:

Assistant Minister to the Premier for Veterans' Affairs and COVID Economic Recovery: 7 Oct 2021 - 17 May 2023
Assistant Minister to the Premier for Veterans' Affairs, Trade and COVID Economic Recovery: 12 Nov 2020 - 6 Oct 2021
Member, Transport and Public Works Committee: 15 Feb 2018 - 6 Oct 2020

Career

Environmental Scientist, Environmental Consultant, Policy Manager, Chief of Staff to Federal Senator.

Personal

Education:

Bachelor of Science - University of Southern Queensland (B.Sci)(USQ); Post Graduate Certificate in Environmental Management (P.Grad.Cert)(USQ); Masters of Business Administration - University of Southern Queensland, Majoring in Environmental Management (MBA)(USQ)

https://www.facebook.com/Mellish4Aspley

Not on X.

https://x.com/ElliotJStein/status/975986429380640768?s=20

 

https://x.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1627436147763994624?s=20

Mr Mellish seems promising.

- STEM background, so some of the reasoning might come through, less about popularity perhaps
- Has an MBA so will understand the importance of economics & financials, an area that could do with more spotlight on
- Not big on social media, so perhaps more time to engage in person and 1:1
- Prior experience on PT committees
- Electorate of Aspley is on the Northside, a PT black hole area, so potential bus improvements are in order.

All of this could be temporary though, the October State election is bearing down and therefore not expecting many changes within 10 months from the current administration. Someone else might be in his seat or in this portfolio in less than a year.

You can't also fund and implement many things in 10 months... government is likely to be in a caretaker-like mode, only doing the minimum and avoiding taking on risks by avoiding further new commitments to new/large/expensive projects.

Just hope he is listener to the likes of Sally and not a "know it all" nor "controlled by political blinkered thinking"

Quote from: JonnoJust hope he is listener to the likes of Sally and not a "know it all" nor "controlled by political blinkered thinking

Good call Jonno. First thing we might want to know is his position on the Gympie Road tunnel, given that it will go through his own electorate.

Electorate of Aspley
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_the_electoral_district_of_Aspley,_2017.pdf

Media Statement

https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/99374

New Miles Government Ministry sworn in

Premier
The Honourable Steven Miles

The fresh-faced Miles Labor Government Ministry has today been sworn in at Government House.

The 19-strong Cabinet reflects Premier Steven Miles' priority to deliver better services for all Queenslanders.

Easing cost of living pressures, health care, housing, community safety and the clean energy transition are at the core of new look portfolios.

The Miles government will also continue to take strong action to drive Queensland's economic plan for the future – supporting new industries and creating jobs where they are needed most.

New Minister Nikki Boyd will take on the portfolios of for Fire, Disaster Recovery and Corrective Services.

Bart Mellish takes on Transport, Main Roads and Digital Services, while Lance McCallum adopts Employment, Small Business, Training and Skills Development.

Charis Mullen will have responsibility for Child Safety, Seniors, Disability Services and Multicultural Affairs and Michael Healy will continue to champion Tourism and Sport.

The revitalised cabinet will meet for the first time tomorrow (Tuesday, 19 December).

Quotes attributable to Queensland Premier Steven Miles:

"I want Queenslanders to know that every single member of my government is on their side and will be working day and night to deliver a better Queensland.

"My Minister's know what's important to me and what's important to Queenslanders – easing cost of living pressures, delivering better healthcare and housing, and keeping our communities safe.

"With fresh faces comes fresh ideas, which is exactly what we need as we charge into a new year.

"I want to thank new Minister's Nikki, Bart, Lance, Charis and Michael for welcoming their new responsibilities. I have every confidence they will be effective leaders.

"My team will hit the ground running to unite our great state and deliver what matters most for Queenslanders."

MILES GOVERNMENT MINISTRY

STEVEN MILES Premier

CAMERON DICK Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment

GRACE GRACE Minister for State Development and Infrastructure, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Racing

SHANNON FENTIMAN Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women

YVETTE D'ATH MP Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence

MICHAEL DE BRENNI Minister for Clean Economy and Jobs

MEAGHAN SCANLON Minister for Housing, Local Government and Planning and Minister for Public Works
MARK RYAN Minister for Police and Community Safety

LEEANNE ENOCH Minister for Treaty, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Minister for Communities and Minister for the Arts

DI FARMER Minister for Education and Minister for Youth Justice

MARK FURNER Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities

GLENN BUTCHER Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing and Minister for Water

SCOTT STEWART Minister for Resources and Critical Minerals

LEANNE LINARD Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef and Minister for Science and Innovation

NIKKI BOYD Minister for Fire and Disaster Recovery and Minister for Corrective Services

BART MELLISH Minister for Transport and Main Roads and Minister for Digital Services

LANCE MCCALLUM Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development

CHARIS MULLEN Minister for Child Safety, Minister for Seniors and Disability Services and Minister for Multicultural Affairs

MICHAEL HEALY Minister for Tourism and Sport

ASSISTANT MINISTER

BRUCE SAUNDERS Assistant Minister for Train Manufacturing, Regional Development, and Jobs.

JULIEANNE GILBERT Assistant Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Industrial Relations and Racing

BRITTANY LAUGA Assistant Minister for Health and Regional Health Infrastructure

ALI KING Assistant Minister for Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works

JENNIFER HOWARD Assistant Minister for Treasury, Trade and Investment

SHANE KING Assistant Minister for Clean Energy Jobs

CORRINE MCMILLAN Assistant Minister for Education and Youth Justice

JAMES SULLIVAN Assistant Minister for Justice and Veterans Affairs

States active and public transport outcomes is why Gympie Tunnel needed!!

Gawd!

📸 Look at this post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/p/WozWn5jPF7PZKDtr/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Quotepartly because of the substantial PT and active transport improvements this will bring to Gympie Road on the surface. Do you think Gympie Road should remain as it is?

Suspect it will be more of the roads first thinking!

Comment & reply below from the same post (names redacted).

Using a similar argument to BCC, "linkage".

In reality, PT improvements can be pursued independently of a road-only project.

Quote from: #Metro on December 18, 2023, 11:45:21 AM

Quote from: JonnoJust hope he is listener to the likes of Sally and not a "know it all" nor "controlled by political blinkered thinking

Good call Jonno. First thing we might want to know is his position on the Gympie Road tunnel, given that it will go through his own electorate.

The initial feedback on the tunnel is closed. The next feedback opportunity will be on design and inclusions of the project.

Sent to all outlets:

New Transport Minister

18th December 2023

RAIL Back On Track Members welcome the appointment of Mr Bart Mellish MP as Minister for  Transport, Main Roads and Digital Services.
( https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/99374 )

We note that Minister Mellish has qualifications in Science, Environmental Management and a MBA (Environmental Management), and has previous career experience as an Environmental Scientist, Environmental Consultant, Policy Manager, Chief of Staff to a Federal Senator.
( https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Members/Current-Members/Member-List/Member-Details?id=1251623312 )

Minister Mellish no doubt understands why Public and Active Transport needs to be prioritised over roads.

We acknowledge the outgoing Minister for Transport, Main Roads and Digital Services, Mr Mark Bailey MP for his sustained service to Transport and being willing to meet with stakeholders to discuss the issues.  Thank you.

Best wishes,
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

Quote from: ozbob on December 17, 2023, 23:14:58 PMSent to all outlets:

Stopping Self-Defeating/Questionable Road Projects No.1 Priority for New Transport Minister

18th December 2023

With a new Transport Minister on the way, and Ms. Stannard recently appointed as Director-General DTMR, there is no better time to pause "congestion busting" road projects around Brisbane and SEQ,  which have been described by Engineers Australia as "self-defeating" and "questionable" investment.

RAIL Back On Track has been campaigning over the last 18 years for a change in the direction of transport planning and the way the State, Local and Federal Governments prioritise their transport budgets.

As highlighted in April this year, the Queensland Government updated Measures that Matter for 2022 https://planning.dsdmip.qld.gov.au/mtm?theme=connect (Figure 1) clearly shows that transport planning, investment and operations in SEQ is simply making a bad situation worse.

SEQ Transport and City Planning by all levels of Government has failed to deliver any change towards the 2031 Targets for car usage (Figure 2) and actually increased car use from the 1996 IRTP Trend (Figure 3).

Many cities around the world saw dramatic declines in car use due to COVID so the fact SEQ has remained the same is an utterly damning indictment of the current transport/city planning policies and political name calling.

And the people of Queensland are paying the price with each trip by car that was targeted to be by active or public transport is costing the tax-payer up to 6 times more in subsides.  Most of this subsidy is in the health budget. (Figure 4)

Whilst there are some big public transport projects like CRR, Gold Coast Light Rail and Faster Rail to the Gold Coast underway. Others, like the North and Sunshine Coast rail lines are decades behind schedule and BCC is just doing it's own thing and thumbing its nose at the former Transport Minister.  Meanwhile the majority of the transport investment is still being poured into "congestion-busting" road projects. The same projects which Engineers Australia concluded in their Urban Transport Systems - A Transport Australia Society Discussion Paper with "This makes attempting to "bust traffic congestion" through road construction, self-defeating".

https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/2022-01/Urban-Transport-Systems-TAS-Discussion-Paper-December-2021-revised.pdf

RAIL Back On Track is confident that an analysis of freight by rail in SEQ will be equally damning if not worse!

Now is the perfect time to shake up Transport Planning across Queensland and the move to the prioritisation of active and transport in transport budgets at all levels of Government.

The new Transport Minister and Director-General must lead this change, and establish collaborative, productive, politics-free working relationships with local Governments particularly BCC. BCC also needs to drop the political game playing and let the Transport Department and Translink lead the planning and operation of active and public transport across SEQ.

It is also time to drop 'Main Roads' from the Department title as no single mode of transport is more important than the others!

Figure 1 - Measures that Matter SEQ Mode Share
https://backontrack.org/docs/media/mrdec23/figure1.jpg





Figure 2 - Connecting SEQ 2031 Target Mode Share
https://backontrack.org/docs/media/mrdec23/figure2.jpg





Figure 3 - 1996 Integrated Transport Plan Trend and Target
https://backontrack.org/docs/media/mrdec23/figure3.jpg





Figure 4 - Cost of Your Commute
https://backontrack.org/docs/media/mrdec23/figure4.jpg




Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

Facebook ...

https://x.com/railbotforum/status/1736580272035094654?s=20

Quote from: verbatim9 on December 18, 2023, 12:08:26 PM

Quote from: #Metro on December 18, 2023, 11:45:21 AM

Quote from: JonnoJust hope he is listener to the likes of Sally and not a "know it all" nor "controlled by political blinkered thinking

Good call Jonno. First thing we might want to know is his position on the Gympie Road tunnel, given that it will go through his own electorate.

The initial feedback on the tunnel is closed. The next feedback opportunity will be on design and inclusions of the project.

Despite overwhelming feedback being "This is the stupidest idea yet".  Which of course will be presented back as "the feedback was mixed with both strong for and  against comments"

"NOW HERE IS THE VERY POSITIVE BCR BUSINESS CASE BASED PURELY ON THE EVIDENCE FROM PREVIOUS BUSINESS CASES"

A Toowoomba boy....so if he doesn't materially progress, a modern rail link to the stones-throw away state capital.....there's truly no-hope!  Sadly, no-hope and QLD seem to mix well.... 

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/first-miles-cabinet-sworn-in-with-five-promotions-20231218-p5es61.html

Quote... A notable change from the Palaszczuk government was the lack of any Olympic portfolios. Instead, new State Development and Infrastructure Minister Grace Grace would have oversight of Olympic planning.

"By not having a portfolio, but still having a minister responsible, we can demonstrate that we're committed to using the Games as a catalyst to bring forward venues and infrastructure, particularly transport infrastructure, for our region, but without the sense that government is distracted by it, that has taken us from our priorities," Miles said.

"This government will be focused on our priorities and, when it comes to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, our priorities are delivering the right venues at value for money, but more importantly, better connecting the region with transport." ...

Quote from: JonnoDespite overwhelming feedback being "This is the stupidest idea yet".  Which of course will be presented back as "the feedback was mixed with both strong for and  against comments"

"NOW HERE IS THE VERY POSITIVE BCR BUSINESS CASE BASED PURELY ON THE EVIDENCE FROM PREVIOUS BUSINESS CASES"

QIC will probably sell to Transurban or another toll road operator, and bank the cash soon after toll road opening. This was the approach with Legacy Way and The Go Between Bridge I believe.

There currently is a gap in that there is no competing alternative proposal before QIC.

QIC has over $92.4 billion in assets under management.

It is difficult to see them pass up an opportunity to make a net positive return on investment because they saw a handful of unsupportive comments on a feedback website. (also, you might inadvertently be investing in toll roads through your super, so it pays to check)





QIC is part of the QLD Public Sector, established by the Queensland Government under the Queensland Investment Corporation Act 1991
https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1991-035/lh

Quote from: SteelPan on December 18, 2023, 13:57:35 PMA Toowoomba boy....so if he doesn't materially progress, a modern rail link to the stones-throw away state capital.....there's truly no-hope!  Sadly, no-hope and QLD seem to mix well.... 

There is still hope of developing the western transit corridor out to Toowoomba by 2035. They will likely need to do it by then to meet their carbon objectives.

The Southern portal to Beaudesert is likely after that as there isn't the population and freight demand as per the western corridor.

Western corridor doesn't have freight trains. The Westlander was the last train to carry freight.

Couriermail --> Qld cabinet: New transport minister pledges tight rein on costs $

QuoteQueensland's new Transport Minister, Bart Mellish, has vowed to keep costs under control amid multibillion-dollar blowouts on major road projects that contributed to the resignation of predecessor Mark Bailey.

Mr Mellish was sworn in on Monday as one of five new faces in Premier Steven Miles's cabinet.

His appointment comes after Mr Bailey quit amid the likelihood he would be sacked by Mr Miles after presiding over infrastructure cost blowouts and other scandals.

On his first day in the job, Mr Mellish acknowledged Queenslanders expected the government to do better.

"It's no secret that in the current inflationary environment there's cost pressures," he said.

"We've got to make sure we keep a tight rein on cost, just as any family has to keep a close watch on their family budget.

"If there's improvements we can make going forward, of course we'll look at that."

Mr Mellish denied, however, that Mr Bailey had left him with a mess.

"I think he's done a very good job," he said.

"I've had a couple of discussions with Mark, and I look forward to seeing what we can do going forward to make sure we're delivering good projects for Queenslanders and delivering good value for money." ...

https://x.com/railbotforum/status/1736742183376675120?s=20

https://x.com/ozbob13/status/1736743053111734338?s=20

Couriermail --> Editorial: Miles's cabinet sets out a new agenda $

QuoteThe shape of Premier Steven Miles's new cabinet would have really stung his predecessor, writes the editor.

There is surely no other way to read the politics of the call by Premier Steven Miles to not have in his cabinet a stand-alone Minister for the Olympics and Paralympics than as a clear rebuke to his predecessor Annastacia Palaszczuk – who of course created that role and then promptly appointed herself to it.

It was seriously telling that after the political capital Ms Palaszczuk had burned as premier to back the $2.7bn rebuild of the Gabba, Mr Miles chose to make his first pledge as premier-elect a review of Games venue decisions so far.

That would surely have hurt his predecessor. But the confirmation yesterday that there will be no such minister in the first Miles cabinet would have really stung. ...

https://www.facebook.com/Mellish4Aspley/posts/pfbid02CydYRgpcsrmHpGBqgBJxGeSkW1LVuGR3fv5gxKM1guK1uJd2sEcDXgZKth27Sphkl?comment_id=6169870169782290

QuoteMark Bailey MP
Congratulations Bart Mellish MP... I look forward to working with you as a member of the Miles Government on our rail revolution, record roads investment, public transport projects as well regional roads, ports, maritime, active travel and road safety.
Never a dull moment in TMR! 😊👍

https://x.com/StevenJMiles/status/1737000520693559382?s=20

Interview 20th December 2023 4BC Drive Host Peter Gleeson with Jeff Addison RBoT

Discussion on new Transport Minister and rail on the Sunshine Coast

Here --> https://backontrack.org/docs/4bc/4bc_pg_ja_20dec23.mp3 MP3 4.3MB

Couriermail --> New Qld transport minister brings transparency after Mark Bailey era $

QuoteMark Bailey's replacement as transport minister will make a long-overdue change to the reporting of multibillion-dollar cost blowouts, in a pointed repudiation of his predecessor's approach.

The full scale of major road and rail project cost blowouts will be revealed to Queenslanders twice a year, in a dramatic repudiation of former Minister Mark Bailey's penchant for hiding billions in overruns.

The Miles Government, in one of its first major acts, will on Friday reveal an itemised list detailing the cost blowouts to 32 major transport infrastructure projects as part of a promise to be more transparent. ...

PROJECT NAME   Budget (June 2023 in millions)   Revised cost in millions
Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail 2,598.2   5,750.0
Rockhampton Ring Road   1,065.0     1,730.5
Pacific Motorway, Varsity Lakes to Tugun 1,000.0   1,500.0
Pacific Motorway, Daisy Hill to Logan Motorway 1,000.0   4,500.0
Gateway Motorway, Bracken Ridge to Pine River 1,000.0   1,310.0
Bruce Highway, Cooroy to Curra 1,000.0   1,131.6
Bruce Highway, Brisbane to Gympie 948.0    1,930.0
Beerburrum to Nambour rail upgrade 550.8   1,004.2
Boundary Road (Coopers Plains), upgrade rail level crossing 352.5   399.0
Mackay Port Access, Slade Point Road  350.0   700.0

^

https://x.com/ozbob13/status/1737830561711010239?s=20

QuoteCouriermail --> New Qld transport minister brings transparency after Mark Bailey era $

Reformatted the data and calculated the cost escalation factors. The average cost escalation was 1.93x, and the median (less affected by outliers) was 1.72. Basically, if you see a Queensland Government infrastructure cost estimate, consider doubling it to get an idea of the end cost.



Multiplier = New cost / Original cost

Couriermail --> Labor figure Mike Kaiser now state's top public servant $

QuoteFormer Labor MP and party state secretary Mike Kaiser has been appointed to a five-year term as Queensland's top public servant.

Former Labor MP and party state secretary Mike Kaiser has been appointed to a five-year term as Queensland's top public servant, less than 11 months before the state election.

Mr Kaiser's appointment as the new director-general of the Department of Premier and Cabinet was made official on Thursday following Steven Miles's ascension to premier last week.

Two other directors-general were also appointed to five-year terms, confirmed in government documents on Thursday – �Graham Fraine to head the Department of State Development and Infrastructure and Michael Walsh as Queensland Health boss. ...