Article: Infrastructure funding fast-tracked for Queensland

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail click here!

Infrastructure funding fast-tracked for Queensland

Infrastructure funding fast-tracked for Queensland
Article from: AAP

October 03, 2008 01:30pm

TEN projects including metropolitan rail and port upgrades have been submitted by the Queensland Government for fast-tracked federal funding.
The Federal Government has agreed to allocate the funds from its $20 billion Building Australia Fund as soon as next May's Budget, in response to the global credit crunch.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said today the state had submitted 10 priority projects.

"Infrastructure Australia will be doing a very rigorous audit and the priorities that we are putting forward (are) everything from metropolitan rail through to further port access," she told ABC Radio.

Ms Bligh said she was pleased the funding was being fast-tracked, as it would bring important economic benefits.

"It was originally planned that those projects would be announced in, I think, next year's Federal Budget," she said.

"We'll now see that a lot earlier, which from Queensland's perspective means that companies can see a pipeline of projects and plan to keep workforces here and that's very important in maintaining momentum in the economy."

[ozbob]

Media Release 18 September 2008

SEQ:  RAIL Back On Track supports the State Governments call for funding for rail

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has said that it strongly supports the Queensland Governments call for more than $14 billion for a massive rail upgrade.  The Queensland Government has written to the Federal Government.  RAIL Back On Track has previously written as well.  It is clear that a sustainable transport future for south-east Queensland hinges on a significant ramp up of rail; heavy and light.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track has previously called for Federal Funding from the Building Australia Fund (1, 2)."

"Auto mobile  and bus-centric transport policies pushed as short term expedient solutions are falling apart in Brisbane.  The CSIRO Report Fuel for thought (3) has highlighted the looming problems for buses, although bus commuters in Brisbane can describe the failures today clearly enough."

"We still have time to ramp our rail networks, light and heavy for a sustainable transport future. Rail will cope with the loads, buses are not trains!  Line mass transit is best provided by high capacity rail - light and heavy, fed by local integrated buses."

"We call on the Federal Government to expedite funding to allow the critical infrastructure upgrades to commence!"

References:

1.   Media Release 31 August 2008
SEQ:  A classic example of what is wrong with transport planning in Queensland http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1281.0

2.  Media Release 22 August 2008
SEQ:  Light rail the sustainable solution for the Gold Coast - A Building Australia Fund project? http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1257.0

3.  CSIRO Report Fuel for thought
http://www.csiro.au/resources/FuelForThoughtReport.html

Contact:

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

[stephenk]

I'd be interested to know what these 10 projects are!

[ozbob]

Here they are Stephen ....

From Sunday Mail 5 October 2008 page 22

[stephenk]

Thanks Ozbob,

Shame that 4.5 of the 10 projects are roads.

[O_128]

I find it ridiculous that evne thoug brisbane roads are hopeless in 20 years they will be suffficient enough for the minimal traffic using them.