State Infrastructure Plan - QLD

[ozbob]

http://www.dilgp.qld.gov.au/infrastructure/state-infrastructure-plan.html

State Infrastructure Plan

The draft State Infrastructure Plan (SIP), released on 26 October 2015, outlines a new strategic direction for the planning, investment and delivery of infrastructure in Queensland.

The draft SIP is in two parts:

    Part A: Strategy – sets a clear vision for the future with a new approach to infrastructure planning and prioritisation that articulates how we will respond to key opportunities and challenges facing Queensland.

    Part B: Program – provides certainty through program of investment over the next four years, with future opportunities over the next 15 years without specifying solutions, in order to encourage innovation and ideas from industry.

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Couriermail --> Queensland draft infrastructure plan released with no new projects

The Australian --> No surprises in Qld infrastructure plan


Huh?   

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> CommSec report says Queensland construction slumps

Have we reached ' peak planning ' ...     

CommSec's October 2015 State of the States

> https://www.commsec.com.au/content/dam/EN/ResearchNews/CommSecStateofStates_October2015.pdf

[#Metro]

What is wrong with the current planning act?
Time for a Plan Ban I think. One plan, released every 10 years.

[ozbob]

    Am I dreaming ... 

[ozbob]

I await a rational assessment of the ' SIP '   ....   

I think I will go for a ride on the 524 to take my mind off failure ... oh wait .. 

[SurfRail]

The draft SIP is absolutely pathetic.

There is nothing in it apart from dumping what is currently in QTRIP into a different document and putting in some fluffy sentiments to cover the period 5-15 years down the line.

[Stillwater]

I am for a Plan ban, except for an Infrastructure CONSTRUCTION TIMETABLE.  One thing's for sure ... the government is in panic catch-up mode.  Stand by for the television advertising campaign .... Life is Great in the Sunshine State.

Maybe this video and song interspersed with images of mum putting her school child aboard a BCC bus ... helpful QR staffer helping old lady onto train ... smiling faces of people aboard a train, shots of MBLR under construction .... you get the picture.

[#Metro]

Queensland needs 4-year fixed terms. And proportional voting.

On the other hand, I think it would be possible to inject bus reform into this. We would need some 'infrastructure' but this could be very simple car park conversion / new bus platforms at one or two places, certainly an 'interchange' at Indooroopilly, and traffic light priority, perhaps a few painted lanes somewhere.

It would fit.

[#Metro]

I hope people go through the report with a fine tooth comb.

There is this on page 25:

Case study Modal shift on the North Coast Line
Queensland's North Coast Line (NCL) is a vital
north-south rail route that links distribution centres
in the south east to major population centres in
central and north Queensland. It supports a range of
freight functions including intermodal containerised
freight services and the haulage of coal, livestock
and industrial products.

Despite continuing regional population growth
and economic activity within the central and north
Queensland regions, demand for rail freight on this
corridor has been in decline in recent years. This
can be attributed to a shift from rail to road
freight as a result of significant advancements in
high productivity vehicles, together with a need for
more investment and upgrades on the rail network.
In response, the Department of Transport and Main
Roads has identified potential infrastructure and
non-infrastructure enhancements to facilitate an
increase in freight volumes on the NCL.

A preliminary NCL Action Plan proposes a 10-year program covering
a range of investment initiatives to address corridor
deficiencies, increase rail capacity and improve rail
operational performance. These initiatives aim to
support a modal shift from road to rail freight to
better equip Queensland's freight network to
support continued growth on this corridor.

[ozbob]

The problem is just more plans, and no concrete action.

We have heard it all before ...  can't blame folks for just accepting that it is just more planning ...

What will happen with a new Government?

Another 30 year plan pow-wow with a state-wide travelling circus?

[ozbob]

Twitter

Lawrence Springborg ‏@SpringborgMP 5h

Today we can expect a half-baked, on the run infrastructure announcement from @jackietrad. @QLDLabor - no costings, no plan, no idea #qldpol

================

^

Twitter

Jackie Trad ‏@jackietrad 1h

.@SpringborgMP try reading it first before you knock it. Or, release LNP Infrastructure Plan... that's right, you didn't have one #qldpol

[ozbob]

The Australian --> Queensland Government releases $35bn draft State Infrastructure Plan

The Queensland Government will push major upgrades to the south-east transport network, regional connectivity and health services as part of its blueprint for state infrastructure.

The draft State Infrastructure Plan, released today, details $35 billion in state spending over four years but will rely heavily on private sector and Federal Government contributions to achieve its ambitious project shopping list.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said the plan recognised that governments did not have all the answers and would look to the private sector to present market-led proposal based on a "clear line of sight" on priority projects.

"Rather than being prescriptive, the plan presents the challenges and identifies opportunities without dictating specific solutions," she said. "Unlike previous infrastructure plans, this blueprint offers pointers to the private sector to invite them to help government solve the challenges of the future."

The report says the new Building Queensland statutory authority would prioritise business cases for the Brisbane Cross River Rail and train control system upgrade and the Sunshine Coast rail upgrade between Beerburrum and Nambour.

The body would also drive business appraisals of the Queensland Health legacy ICT project and the Public Safety Regional Radio Communications network.

The emphasis on South-East Queensland (SEQ) transport projects was fuelled by fears that congestion on the Brisbane-Gold Coast-Sunshine Coast transport corridors was already costing the state $2 billion through delays and this would grow to $9 billion in 20 years without action.

In response to the Infrastructure Australia audit of infrastructure challenges, the state had nominated 12 projects for the national priority list including Pacific and Bruce Highway upgrades, inland and northern rail corridors, the Cunningham Highway and the Ipswich Motorway between Darra and Rocklea.

Forward projections suggested that in the next 20 years, SEQ would require 15 new motorway lanes, 1682 additional rail services, and provision for 820,577 more hospital stays, 6480 extra classrooms, 35,000 more flights out of airports and 25 billion extra gigabytes of digital capacity.

More > http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/queensland-government-releases-35bn-draft-state-infrastructure-plan/story-e6frgczx-1227583061661

[ozbob]

" ... The report says the new Building Queensland statutory authority would prioritise business cases for the Brisbane Cross River Rail and train control system upgrade and the Sunshine Coast rail upgrade between Beerburrum and Nambour ... "

  Where there is life there is hope I guess ...

[Stillwater]

Now we are prioritising planning and business cases ... we didn't priortise them previously ... even when CRR was No. 1 priority infrastructure project in the land and shovel-ready.  Even when duplication of the SCL between Beerburrum and Landsborough has all the approvals.  Geez, we even let tenders for it to be built.  We just didn't build it.

And what exactly are 'non-infrastructure enhancements to facilities'? (From entry above)

and ... we are told we have a 'Preliminary North Coast line Action Plan'.  Why is it preliminary?  When will it be the actual action plan?  And can we have greater explanation about the word 'action'.  Is the action to have a plan or is there action in prospect for doing something?

Meanwhile, the line performs so poorly for freight and passengers, freight forwarders look desperately to alternatives.  Commuters catch the (rail)bus. 

[Stillwater]

See the Trad/Springborg spat.  What's the difference between not having an Infrastructure Plan (LNP) and having a plan that you have no commitment to implementing (ALP)?  Ms Trad informs us that: 'the plan presents the challenges and identifies opportunities without dictating specific solutions'. 

Extrapolate that to the health system ... if you go to the hospital with a serious ailment .. you are handed a letter from a doctor outlining the challenges he/she faces in curing you and identifies treatment opportunities without spelling out what, if anything, will take place in order to effect your recovery.  Meanwhile, they would seek expressions of interest from private hospitals?

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Queensland looks to Sydney for infrastructure funding ideas

[ozbob]

Twitter

ABC News Queensland ‏@abcnews_qld 53s

Queensland infrastructure plan receives cautious welcome as 'positive first step' http://ab.co/1RxWVzY 

[Stillwater]

Queensland Infrastructure Strategy, Parts A and B

http://www.dilgp.qld.gov.au/infrastructure/state-infrastructure-plan.html

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

27th October 2015

Include Bus Reform in State Infrastructure Plan

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers calls on Deputy Premier Jackie Trad to include bus reform of the Brisbane City Council bus network in the State Infrastructure Plan.

Bus Reform must be included in the Queensland Government's final State Infrastructure Plan. Bus reform ticks all the boxes. If you read the Draft State Infrastructure Plan, there are many paragraphs which say something like this:

"Building or expanding existing infrastructure will not always be the solution, so the SIP looks at ways to use
infrastructure better, smarter and differently; to reuse, refit and share infrastructure–to do more with less."

"This may include non-build solutions where these can deliver the same outcome without the need to invest in expensive building and construction."

"It represents a clear statement from the government that low-cost options, that either maintain or improve services to Queenslanders, will be considered over 'big ticket' infrastructure projects that achieve similar outcomes."

Bus Reform of Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's bus network must be top of the agenda! Bus reform can be delivered rapidly within one term of office, is effectively cost-neutral, will provide massive increases in mobility across the entire city of Brisbane, and does not require the construction of any new busways or new railway lines. It would easily fall into the 1-4 year program of works.

A number of low cost upgrades can be taken, such as upgraded bus shelters (e.g. BulimbaGlider, CentenaryGlider), superbuses capable of carrying 150 passengers (e.g. bus routes 66, 412, 333, 222), traffic light priority for buses, and modest access upgrades to some train stations to allow for direct bus access (e.g. Indooroopilly Rail, Coopers Plains Rail, Stafford City Shopping Centre).

And if the Queensland Government should ever be so inclined to change it's mind, there is even scope for private 'market-led' proposals for operating Brisbane City Council's bus fleet. We've already done the homework and our New Bus Network Proposal is public at the website http://tiny.cc/newnetwork. The current Brisbane City Council Bus Network is grossly outdated and is not fit for purpose, in our opinion. Go and see for yourself by clicking on to our BCC bus network service quality map at http://tiny.cc/checkyourbus

Public transport upgrades along these lines can also be rolled out in regional Queensland. CityGlider-style branded, Hi-frequency buses every 15 minutes, 7 days per week could be considered for Ipswich, Toowoomba, Townsville and Cairns, for example. We think Building Queensland and the Queensland Productivity Commission should jointly investigate the merits of Bus Reform, and provide a business case assessment for it that includes cost-benefit ratio and net present value appraisals.

We look forward to Bus Reform taking a centerpiece position within the State Infrastructure Plan's transport priorities. Failure is not an option!

Best wishes,
Robert

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

References:

Market-Led Proposals
https://www.treasury.qld.gov.au/projects-infrastructure/initiatives/market-led-proposals/index.php

State Infrastructure Plan (Queensland Government)
http://www.dilgp.qld.gov.au/infrastructure/state-infrastructure-plan.html

Bus reform is effectively cost-neutral because it re-arranges existing service. Effectively cost-neutral bus reforms have been carried
out in Houston (US) and Auckland (NZ).

[Jonno]

The finding is all available We jay need to prioritise those with a positive ROI!!!!

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

20th November 2015

Queensland - The Banana State?

Greetings,

The unstable political cycle and inability to raise stable funding have real costs. We find support for this view.

ERMG, an ASX-listed company has said in a report:

"Political volatility, particularly with regards to the change in government in Queensland, and the increased costs associated with expansion into other states and countries were primary contributors to the lower than budgeted result.  ERMG will continue to consider potential liquidity options, however remain concerned and frustrated with the extent of political volatility and government in Australia at both Federal and State levels." (emphasis added)

We have previously called for four-year electoral terms, consideration of proportional representation in the Queensland Parliament and stable funding (such as from land tax reforms) to provide certainty for both Government direction and the private sector.

Funding and political instability ruin projects. The textbook example is Cross River Rail - after seven years of animations, reports, alignment optimisation, studies, media releases, and talking, no concrete end-product has been produced.

How can the Queensland Government credibly commit to following its upcoming State Infrastructure Plan (SIP) if it cannot raise its own revenue to pay for projects, or political instability means that the SIP is at risk of being scrapped by another incoming administration?

The over-reliance on Australian Government funding means that the Australian Government appears to have more control over what gets built in Queensland than the Queensland Government. In the long term, this situation is likely to worsen as much of the state's income comes from coal and worldwide there is a movement to phase out coal for energy generation.

Major reforms both in the Queensland Parliament and in the way Queensland raises revenue need to be pushed through to secure funding and political certainty for projects such as Cross River Rail before Queensland becomes a failed banana state.

Best wishes,

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

Reference:

Fixed four-year terms good for infrastructure
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10217.msg161433#msg161433

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

29th November 2015

Response to QLD Draft State Infrastructure Plan

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has found that the Queensland Government has lost control of state infrastructure planning.

We have made a submission to the Queensland Government commenting on the Draft State Infrastructure Plan, and we are making this submission public (link below).

In writing the submission, we considered past infrastructure plans and looked at why some infrastructure proposals were delivered, while others were not.

Surprisingly, our main finding was that the Queensland Government is actually not in control of what infrastructure gets built in Queensland, or when.
Instead, the Australian Government and the imprimatur of the Prime Minister appear to be decisive.

We identify two key forces that have resulted in the Queensland Government losing control over infrastructure. Firstly, the 3-year political cycle means that projects are highly unstable and uncertain. Cross River Rail/BaT is the textbook example of this political instability at work. After seven years, no actual on-the-ground end-product has been delivered, just lots of paper. This instability is also disadvantaging Queensland relative to other states and territories that have 4-year terms, and have well-formed proposals ready for Australian Government funding.

Secondly, the Queensland Government has become highly dependent on Australian Government funding as it has not been able to raise sufficient own-source revenue. This is likely to grow worse with time, due to competing budgetary pressures and the reliance on coal revenues. We suggest ACT style land value tax reforms to recapture some of the publicly funded property value boost that new infrastructure brings to private landowners.

We also find that the Queensland Government also appears to have little actual control over bus network planning within the Brisbane City Council area. This is important as the Draft State Infrastructure Plan talks about 'sweating' existing infrastructure. We suggest bus reform would use existing road infrastructure and public transport assets, such as busways and railways, more productively. Bus reform can bring about citywide benefits for passengers - more frequent buses, faster buses, and extended high-frequency service into 'black hole' areas. This can be done rapidly and at a fraction of the cost of new heavy infrastructure (i.e. virtually cost-neutral). Our New Bus Network Proposal is published online http://tiny.cc/newnetwork

Clearly there are major issues to be resolved; we can only hope the Queensland Government listens and takes action to fix them.

Best wishes
Robert

Contact:

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


RAIL Back On Track Response to Draft State Infrastructure Plan ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/RBOT_SUBMIT_FINAL.pdf  1.2MB

RAIL Back On Track Supplementary Response to Draft State Infrastructure Plan ---> http://backontrack.org/docs/busreform/RBOT_SUBMIT_SUPP.pdf  0.2MB

[ozbob]

Informa -->  Queensland Infrastructure Summit

Appraising the pipeline, process and private sector engagement

[verbatim9]

Good to have a plan! Where is the money?  Scott Morrison has put an offer out there, for bonus payments to the states Re: Harper Review

[Stillwater]

It seems that whenever we have an Infrastructure Plan that fails, thus requiring a new one, the Minister of the day says something along the lines of what Ms Trad said: "The plan outlines a new infrastructure planning cycle and investment framework."  We just shuffle the deck of cards one more time, re-prioritising the projects, pushing them out a bit more under a 'new paradigm' framework.

The Infrastructure Plan reveals the true picture: "Finding new ways to plan, fund, build and maintain transport infrastructure, while working with partners across the sector, will be critical."  Yep, so you haven't figured these things out?

Translation: We don't have the money and we are challenged to find ways of obtaining the money.  We are stuck when it comes to making a decision to raise new capital.  The Canberra tooth fairy will provide.

And this is called a plan.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Queensland economy: Fewer major projects in pipeline than ACT

QUEENSLAND has been declared a "state of inertia" with fewer major projects in the pipeline than the ACT.

Infrastructure Partnerships Australia and BIS Shrapnel as well as investment bank Goldman Sachs have found Queensland is facing a $50 billion black hole in major building project investments in the next five years.

The news will increase pressure on under fire treasure Curtis Pitt to find a way to spark the state's economy, with IPS chief executive Brendan Lyons saying a starting point would be to sell or lease the state's power network.

"Queensland is the third biggest economy in Australia, yet on current settings its major project pipeline is smaller than that of the ACT,'' Mr Lyons said.

"If Queensland cannot fix its budget, it cannot fix its infrastructure — which means fewer jobs, worsening congestion, higher than necessary electricity bills, crowded hospitals, schools and prisons and an exodus of skills and capital to other states." ...

[ozbob]

[verbatim9]

Looks like nothing is going to happen to at least 2018 re new infrastructure, due to no plan in getting funds. Sit back and relax until the next election, that's what Labor and Liberal are doing.

[Stillwater]

The day before the election both parties will issue their policies (wish list, unfunded).  Two days after the election, which ever party wins will say the finances are more dire than they understood them to be, so the infrastructure wish list has to be cut back (cuts occur in the seats where they did not win.)  It is the evolutionary cycle.

[ozbob]

Koala ' singing ' ...   

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Fears Queensland's infrastructure plans not on track to meet future demand

MUCH-needed rail projects across Queensland are stalled in the planning stage, sparking fears that the state's heavy rail system will not be able to cope with growing passenger numbers in the future.

The Palaszczuk Government is under pressure to get moving on new projects amid concerns the Moreton Bay Rail Link may be the end of the line for heavy rail.

Acting Premier Jackie Trad and Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe yesterday spruiked the progress of the near-completed Moreton Bay Rail Link.

But RAIL Back On Track spokesman Robert Dow said the Government needed to turn its mind to delivering other crucial rail projects like the duplication of the Sunshine Coast railway line and cross-river rail.

"There's nothing in the pipeline. It's all planning and looking at cost-benefit and ­redoing studies that have been done many times already," Mr Dow said. "They produce the documents but nothing ever happens."

Mr Dow did acknowledge the announcement last month of the $163 million duplication of the Gold Coast railway line between Helensvale and Coomera, and the securing of Commonwealth funds for the Gold Coast light rail extension.

Experts have warned Queensland's rail system will not cope with rapidly growing passenger numbers and risk exceeding capacity by 2021.

Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the Government was moving on major projects and was poised to announce its infrastructure plan in coming months.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Opinion: Market-led proposals for infrastructure projects pit profit against public interest

THE document titled Draft State Infrastructure Plan sounds like a remedy for insomnia or an invitation to put down the newspaper and head for the beach. But every Queensland voter should read on, for a recent proposal in that report is being touted by the Labor Government as one of the pillars of an economic revival.

These so-called "market-led proposals", projects that a commercial company thinks can be profitable, but that the Government hasn't previously considered, threaten both the livability of our capital city and the integrity of our public administration ...

More > http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/opinion-marketled-proposals-for-infrastructure-projects-pit-profit-against-public-interest/news-story/c3ffb0a83437dcca8c7e58d087e2a17e

[verbatim9]

Isnt that what the National Party used to do under Joh's reign? Steam roll projects through without evironmental and long term impacts. Only to profit the government and the construction company.

[nathandavid88]

Isnt that what the National Party used to do under Joh's reign? Steam roll projects through without evironmental and long term impacts. Only to profit the government and the construction company.

I doubt it... Market-led proposals will be assessed in a very similar fashion to any Government-led proposals submitted today, the only difference I suspect is that the cost to benefit ratio testing won't be as stringent as it is to be funded through private means. It's a bit different to the days of Joh and the SGIO running roughshod over Queensland with little oversight. Assessment criteria is a lot more important, and there's a lot more red tape in place to prevent a return to the 70s way of doing things.

Having heard of a couple of things being put to Government through this process, one in particular which isn't public knowledge as yet, I don't see it as being a bad system.

[#Metro]

I can't read the whole CM article, but once you read one piece like this, you have read them all.

It is not unlawful to make a profit. It is also not automatically anti "public interest" (whatever that means).

There are pros and cons to either approach. Government and private business are tools to solve problems, and each has their place.

The buses, for example, are made in private workshops. Most have components from Scania, a Swedish company. Others, German. The City Cat has private operators - who died? Same for other buses in SEQ and Perth. Indeed, it is the public bus operator that has all the major problems due to the political dynamics that are absent with all the other bus operators.

Gold Coast Light Rail is private. Again, who died?

Proposals should be based on merit, and case by case. Different tools for different tasks, each has their place.

[verbatim9]

Just as long as environmental concerns are met. Noise pollution Open space, excessive Tolls, Visual impact. I will be happy.

[ozbob]

SundayMail --> http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/premiers-35b-plan-to-get-state-moving/news-story/2259065c83fa9bc0afaab98d7308bf06

[ozbob]

Draft >> http://www.dilgp.qld.gov.au/infrastructure/state-infrastructure-plan.html

Hopefully final available later today.

[kram0]

I will be surprised if any major projects are started by this incompetent governemnt.

[ozflier]

Sad to say,nothing is going to happen until the current government goes!