11 Mar 2023: No Olympic Co-ordination Authority - worse outcomes for PT?

[ozbob]

No Olympic Co-ordination Authority - worse outcomes for public transport?

11th March 2023

Greetings,

The Queensland State Government has decided that an Olympic Co-ordination Authority is not needed.

It has been reported that "Transport Minister Mark Bailey also defended the decision on Friday, saying the state government had a proven record on delivering infrastructure projects in conjunction with the commonwealth." (1).

Well Cross River Rail has zero funding from the Commonwealth, while other states have enjoyed considerable funding from the Commonwealth for key projects.

A RAIL Back On Track Member has summed up this decision as:

"The Coordinating Authority was to have representation from the three levels of government (and others) and was to have acted as a 'clearing and sorting house' for issues where all players had a stake. In effect, the Queensland Government has said 'damn you and instead will run the Games preparation 'in house' with tame public servants and using a system of government that has proven to be flawed, especially when it comes to coordinating public transport for SEQ." (see reference 2 for full comment).

Here is a list of some of the public transport deficits that should be addressed by 2032.  Will they?

Unlikely, the % figures are our estimate of the likelihood of completion prior to 2032.

The State going it alone is just going to make the public transport service and infrastructure shortfalls even more acute in our view.

1.  Gold Coast light rail stage 3  100%

2.  Gold Coast light rail stage 4  70%

3.  Kuraby - Beenleigh quadruplication  70%

4.  Beerburrum to Landsborough duplication 10%

5.  Beerwah to Maroochydore branch line  0%

6.  ATP ETCS L2 entire Citytrain network  10%

7.  Improvements on the Cleveland line - single section Manly - Cleveland 5%

8.  Service frequency improvements on the entire Citytrain network 10%

9.  Sunshine Coast mass transit  20%

10. Proper bus network reform for all regions  10%

11. Fast rail  0%

12. Brisbane Metro extension to Chandler (Mass transit access to Sleeman Sports Complex) 90%

13. GCLR stage 5? 6? Down Nerang Broadbeach road (Mass transit access to Carrara Sports Precinct) 0%

14. Airtrain tickets at regular Translink prices (so international punters don't have to take a mortgage just to travel into town) 90%

15. Extension of rail line to Hamilton (Athletes village access) 0%

16. Passenger rail to Beaudesert (are you going to run shuttle buses to Wyaralong from Roma Street???) 0%

17. All train stations with full disability access (it will be an international embarrassment to have non-wheelchair accessible stations in 2032. Especially at high profile stations without full level boarding like Central and South Bank) 80%

It is difficult to be confident about legacy outcomes for public transport when one considers these deficits and the decision to dump the Olympic Coordinating Authority.

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


1. Couriermail --> Sydney Olympics proof of important role of coordination authority
https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/brisbane-olympics-and-paralympics-2032/sydney-olympics-proof-of-important-role-of-coordination-authority/news-story/b487a879547c53911d9d75395f8b7f4a

2. RBoT Member's comment
https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?msg=268393

[ozbob]

Discussion --> https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?msg=268411