Labor’s review into the $120bn infrastructure pipeline.

[Jonno]

Jonno, I've actually messaged you before offering to compile a list of stations on the rail/busway network that ARE reasonably good TOD prospects.

That offer remains open.

as I have also answered before every rail/busway station, every commercial/employment centre, every intersection of BRT/LRT/Heavy Rail routes should be walkable, safe to cycle, mixed-use and transit-oriented!!

https://x.com/stuartbdonovan/status/1499528762454462482?s=46&t=EDszjTErsxTIqAna7yuP-w

[ozbob]

https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/99187

Statement from Mark Bailey, Minister for Transport and Main Roads

19th November 2023

Minister for Transport and Main Roads and Minister for Digital Services
The Honourable Mark Bailey

The Australian Government's announcement today claiming a so-called 'boost' to roads in Queensland is misleading.

The decision to reduce Australian Government funding splits on regional roads from 80:20 to 50:50 has been estimated by TMR to cost Queenslanders between $600 million and $1 billion per annum.

This is on top of cuts made elsewhere in Queensland such as the decision to cease funding projects including the Mooloolah River interchange, the cap on funding on road corridors and changes to funding splits on existing projects.

Queenslanders will therefore still be significantly worse off.

Although Queensland has only the third largest population of any state, our vast state has the largest regional road network in the nation so the proposed change from 80/20 funding to 50/50 has the largest impact on regional Queenslanders than regions in any other jurisdiction.

Queensland is the only state in Australia with more people living in regional areas than the capital and there is a disproportionate number of fatalities on our regional roads.

We will not be deterred from our campaign to maintain current funding arrangements of 80:20 from the Commonwealth as clearly Queensland should have a different regional roads funding formula to other states given our decentralisation and largest road network in the nation.

We have a forward infrastructure and roads program that is based on our booming statewide population and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032.

Our plan is critical to supporting the Games, growth and keeping Queenslanders safe.

ENDS

====

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Qld infrastructure project cuts the right move – Labor Senator Murray Watt $

Throwing precious taxpayer funds around like drunken sailors would be irresponsible and only add fuel to the inflation fire a Queensland Senator says, as he passionately defends the federal government's major infrastructure cuts.

Throwing precious taxpayer funds around like drunken sailors would be irresponsible and only add fuel to the inflation fire, Queensland senator Murray Watt has said in an impassioned defence of the federal government's major infrastructure cuts. ...

[Jonno]

Road plan key to car-free Olympics!!! Really? YOU SURE?

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Palaszczuk deflects attention from hidden blowout to federal cuts $

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has refused to reveal when she knew the cost of a rail project had doubled, instead again targeting the federal government over cuts.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has refused to reveal when she knew the cost of the Gold Coast Faster Rail project had doubled to $5.2bn, but instead dialled up the heat on the federal government over its infrastructure cuts.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey was forced to reveal last week the cost of duplicating the rail Kuraby and Beenleigh had increased from $2.6bn to about $5.2bn – raising questions why the doubling had not been revealed to Queenslanders.

Ms Palaszczuk on Sunday refused to say when she found out about the staggering price blowout, declaring Mr Bailey was right to privately negotiate with the federal government for extra support before making any announcement. ...

[ozbob]

https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/99187

Statement from Mark Bailey, Minister for Transport and Main Roads

19th November 2023

Minister for Transport and Main Roads and Minister for Digital Services
The Honourable Mark Bailey

The Australian Government's announcement today claiming a so-called 'boost' to roads in Queensland is misleading.

The decision to reduce Australian Government funding splits on regional roads from 80:20 to 50:50 has been estimated by TMR to cost Queenslanders between $600 million and $1 billion per annum.

This is on top of cuts made elsewhere in Queensland such as the decision to cease funding projects including the Mooloolah River interchange, the cap on funding on road corridors and changes to funding splits on existing projects.

Queenslanders will therefore still be significantly worse off.

Although Queensland has only the third largest population of any state, our vast state has the largest regional road network in the nation so the proposed change from 80/20 funding to 50/50 has the largest impact on regional Queenslanders than regions in any other jurisdiction.

Queensland is the only state in Australia with more people living in regional areas than the capital and there is a disproportionate number of fatalities on our regional roads.

We will not be deterred from our campaign to maintain current funding arrangements of 80:20 from the Commonwealth as clearly Queensland should have a different regional roads funding formula to other states given our decentralisation and largest road network in the nation.

We have a forward infrastructure and roads program that is based on our booming statewide population and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032.

Our plan is critical to supporting the Games, growth and keeping Queenslanders safe.

ENDS

Brisbanetimes --> 'Decentralised' Queensland deserves its own road funding model: Bailey $

Queensland should have a unique road funding formula because it is Australia's most decentralised state, Transport Minister Mark Bailey said on Sunday.

It is the latest angle on the multibillion-dollar funding spat between the federal and Queensland Labor governments after Infrastructure Minister Catherine King last week announced ways to save $33 billion in cost blowouts in the federal infrastructure pipeline. ...

[Jonno]

He is an utter idiot!! This is his mess but...of course...not his fault! As bad as Lord Mayor!!

[ozbob]

https://x.com/SwannyQLD/status/1726186526323916814?s=20

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Mark Bailey blasted as 'CFMEU tax' blamed for federal funding cuts $

Transport Minister Mark Bailey's "CFMEU tax" has driven up the cost of major infrastructure and forced the federal government to swing the axe, according to federal Opposition MP Andrew Wallace.

The Liberal National MP said the state government's "dithering, delays, and their CFMEU tax" was to blame for cost blowouts on major infrastructure and had prompted the Albanese government to deliver deep cuts. ...

[Stillwater]

More money for council roads.

https://www.governmentnews.com.au/funding-for-local-roads-set-to-double-to-1b/

The mayors heading to Canberra as a bit of a roads funding stunt (no cuts in federal government funding to Queensland) will get there to be told that THEIR funding for local roads from the feds will increase substantially. They will fall to their knees and worship Catherine King MP as a goddess. In political terms, Dr Miles will be cut off at the knees.

[Jonno]

More money for council roads.

https://www.governmentnews.com.au/funding-for-local-roads-set-to-double-to-1b/

The mayors heading to Canberra as a bit of a roads funding stunt (no cuts in federal government funding to Queensland) will get there to be told that THEIR funding for local roads from the feds will increase substantially. They will fall to their knees and worship Catherine King MP as a goddess. In political terms, Dr Miles will be cut off at the knees.

None of which will be required to create separated mobility/bike lanes, pedestrian safety nor prioitise public transport (ROW/Signalling).

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Why Queensland is suddenly playing the tough guy $

Paul Keating coined the adage "Never get between a premier and a bucket of money". A more lumbering, but equally apt, version could have been "Never get between a decomposing state government and a chance to boost the polls".

The Palaszczuk government has fizzed into faux outrage this past week or so over its federal counterpart's decision to walk away from infrastructure projects considered inflationary, wasteful and nonessential – including in Queensland. ...

[ozbob]

https://x.com/JarrodBleijieMP/status/1727885790745968977?s=20

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> 'Blowouts unsustainable': Chalmers blasts Qld gov's spiralling costs $

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has defended the federal government's infrastructure cuts across Queensland, declaring the Commonwealth couldn't continue to foot the bill for blowouts.

Mr Chalmers faced questions at The Courier-Mail's Future Brisbane Summit about the infrastructure battle between the state and federal government.

The Queensland-based federal treasurer said the Commonwealth couldn't afford to continually foot the bill for major project blowouts.

"It's one thing to write a press release about building something, it's another to build it," he said. ...

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament

https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2023/1379-2023.pdf

Question on Notice
No. 1379
Asked on 26 October 2023

Mr D Crisafulli asked Premier and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games
(Hon. A Palaszczuk)―

QUESTION:

With reference to the Federal Government's Infrastructure Review—
Will the Premier advise (a) if she has reviewed or approved any Queensland Government
project priority list (a request outlined in Minister King's media release dated 9 May 2023)
prior to submission to the Federal Government, (b) details of discussions she has had with
Federal Government regarding this matter (including dates of any letters or meetings along
with the names of Federal Government representatives involved) and (c) any commitments
the Premier has obtained from her interactions with the Federal Government regarding
infrastructure projects in Queensland?

ANSWER:

As I outlined to the House on 14 November 2023, 15 November 2023 and 16 November
2023, I will always stand up for Queensland's fair share of Federal infrastructure funding.
On both 9 May 2023 and 14 November 2023, I wrote to the Prime Minister regarding the
Federal Infrastructure Investment Program Strategic Review, and I have asked the Deputy
Premier to lead a Queensland delegation to Canberra.

I am advised the Queensland Government did not provide a prioritised list of projects to
the Review, as the Government does not accept cuts to existing projects and will continue
to advocate for Queensland.

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament Hansard

https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/events/han/2023/2023_11_28_DAILY.pdf

Ministerial Statements

Federal Labor Government, Infrastructure Funding

Hon. A PALASZCZUK (Inala—ALP) (Premier and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic
Games) (9.36 am): Queensland is the fastest growing state in Australia, with 2,000 people moving here
every week. That is more than every other state combined. You can't blame them, honestly, can you!
Five years ago our population reached five million, and next year it will reach 5½ million. That is why
we cannot delay the need to build the roads, schools, housing and hospitals our state needs. We need
them now, and we need the federal government to step up to its commitment to help us provide them.
Tomorrow, the Deputy Premier will lead a delegation of Queenslanders to Canberra. It includes
seven mayors as well as representatives of the Trucking Association. They know the need to provide
for our decentralised state. They know that a failure to provide this infrastructure will only drive up costs and therefore the cost of living. Queensland is doing more than its fair share already. We are spending more on infrastructure in Queensland than the federal government is spending in the whole of Australia.

When our delegation meets with infrastructure minister Catherine King tomorrow, they will explain
Queensland's position. We will not stand for being underfunded, like Queensland has been for so many
years under the former coalition government. The invitation stands to the Victorian-based minister to
come to Queensland and see what it is really like here, because her plan demonstrates one thing: she
simply does not understand Queensland.

Next week I will be attending National Cabinet in Canberra, where infrastructure cuts will be on
the agenda. I know none of my colleagues want to see cuts made to their infrastructure budgets, but
as Queensland continues to grow we cannot take our foot off the accelerator. We need infrastructure
and we need it delivered.

Opposition members interjected.

Mr SPEAKER: Members to my left, there is a running commentary this morning. It is going to
cease or I will start naming members.

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament Hansard

https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/events/han/2023/2023_11_28_DAILY.pdf

Federal Labor Government, Infrastructure Funding

Hon. MC BAILEY (Miller—ALP) (Minister for Transport and Main Roads and Minister for Digital
Services) (9.49 am): The Palaszczuk government remains very concerned about the federal
government's infrastructure review and its impact on Queensland. A case study of that impact is our
recently announced additional commitment to the Varsity Lakes to Tugun M1 upgrade. The Palaszczuk
government announced funding in time to save the 300 jobs that depend on this project and to complete
the project. The Palaszczuk government had sought federal government funding, on a 50-50 basis, of
the $500 million cost escalation due to the La Nina weather impacts, flooding, asbestos treatment and
removal, inflation and PFAS issues. Instead, the Australian government has agreed to fund only
$70 million, leaving Queensland to step in to save the jobs and to get the project completed.
The Commonwealth proposes to break up much of Queensland's funding into road corridors.
The Bruce Highway, for example, is broken up into three corridors, each with a cap on funding. When
the federal government claims that its corridor packages 'give states flexibility', what it means is that it is refusing to provide additional funding to deal with nationwide cost pressures and is forcing states to choose which projects to drop.

The Deputy Premier is leading a 'Team Queensland' delegation to Canberra to lobby the federal
government for a better deal for Queensland. Everybody in 'Team Queensland' knows that without
ongoing 80-20 funding for Australia's most decentralised state, with the largest road network in the
nation, we will see fewer infrastructure projects and fewer lives saved on our roads. Over time,
abolishing 80-20 funding will mean that in future there will be less federal funding for the Bruce and
Warrego highways and for other important freight corridors.

There are cost pressures across our infrastructure program, as there are in every state and
territory. Arrangements in the National Partnership Agreement on Land Transport Infrastructure provide
that a significant change in the scope or cost of a project must be agreed in writing between the parties.
I have sought agreement from the Australian government to change the value of several projects, but
the Infrastructure Investment Program has added a frustrating delay to these negotiations.
While the Australian government has published a list, it has not formally written to me, as is usual
practice. This should occur after the Australian government's Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook. I
will provide more information to Queenslanders between the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook
and our own state government midyear budget update. Queenslanders can rest assured that the
Palaszczuk Labor government will always fight for our fair share of federal funding from Canberra.

[ozbob]

https://x.com/StevenJMiles/status/1729614568467415335?s=20

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> 'Huge news!': Team Queensland comes home with zilch $

Steven Miles' mission to Canberra as part of his attempt to muscle the federal government into reversing infrastructure cuts has come to naught.

And despite claiming "huge news" about Commonwealth commitments to Sunshine Coast rail, nothing has actually changed. ...

[ozbob]

https://x.com/7NewsSC/status/1730140065131909272?s=20

[ozbob]

Steven Miles celebrates funding win but critics believe its a fuss over nothing | 7 News Australia

[ozbob]

https://x.com/10NewsFirstQLD/status/1730121507710394446?s=20