SEQ City Deal

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> SEQ begins big push for a billion-dollar City Deal

Talking points

    Townsville (2016, Launceston (2017) and Western Sydney (2018) all have City Deal funding packages with the federal government.
    This allows projects to be funded for up to 20 years by the state, federal and local governments in each region outside of elections.
    Townsville mayor Jenny Hill said the scheme was helping Townsville, but the projects have to be chosen carefully.

Political delays dogging a decade of infrastructure projects will be history if talks in Brisbane on Tuesday morning cement a new billion-dollar 15-year City Deal for south-east Queensland with the federal government.

Such a deal could benefit 3 million people catching trains and buses, driving on highways, building businesses, looking for housing, and finding school and universities between the Sunshine and Gold coasts and west to Toowoomba.

Deputy premier Jackie Trad and Brisbane's lord mayor Graham Quirk will on Tuesday morning outline how close the 10 south-east Queensland councils – Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan, Wide Bay, Redland, Scenic Rim, Somerset, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley – are to signing Australia's largest City Deal with the federal government.

Australia now has three City Deals backed by the federal government: Townsville (2016), Launceston (April 2017) and Western Sydney (March 2018).

Cr Quirk, chairman of south-east Queensland's 10 mayors, described a City Deal for the area as "a dramatic change".

"The power of aligning the efforts of all levels of government and securing a long-term program of investment in our region will be a game changer," Cr Quirk said.

"For the first time, all levels of government will be working in unison to protect and enhance the prosperity and liveability of south-east Queensland."

A City Deal binds the three levels of government — federal, state and local — as a group to agree to a 15-year rolling funding program of infrastructure projects that a fast-growing region needs.

As projects provide a lift in land value, that financial uplift is identified, captured and then re-invested into the infrastructure funding pool, under a model first identified in Manchester in 2012 and then in Brisbane in 2014.

In April 2018, Cr Quirk and Ms Trad met the federal government's new Cities and Urban Infrastructure minister Paul Fletcher, when they first put forward the SEQ City Deal.

All parties described those 2018 talks as "positive".

Cr Quirk and Ms Trad will begin the public push for the SEQ City Deal at a business breakfast at Brisbane's Convention and Exhibition Centre.

"We secured Australia's first ever City Deal in Townsville, which is paying dividends with projects like the North Queensland Stadium, delivered through the City Deal," Ms Trad said.

"That is under construction and on track to be open for the start of the 2020 NRL season."

Townsville's City Deal is a 15-year arrangement, while Launceston's is a five-year deal and Western Sydney's is a 20-year deal.

The federal government is tipped to announce City Deals for Geelong and Darwin by September 2018, allowing planners to work on Hobart, Perth and South-East Queensland over 18 months.

How could it help?

It locks in project funds over 15 to 20 years, moving them away from political promises, which are subject to election outcomes. It could remove election squabbling over the same project.

It sets out a timetable for  projects allowing the private sector to invest more confidently.

It could help the "next generation" of infrastructure projects, after the Pacific Motorway, the underground Cross River Rail and Brisbane Metro projects were all delayed by politics and angered voters.

It has also been mentioned as a way of funding Moreton Bay's new university campus at Petrie and breathing life into the Brisbane River's Resilient Rivers proposal.

What is Townsville's experience after 18 months?

Pros: The Townsville City Deal was signed on December 9, 2016. It is a 15-year agreement.

Work has begun on stage two of the 25,000 seat new $250 million Townsville Stadium. It will be finished for the 2020 rugby league season. It is funded by federal, Queensland and Townsville City Council.

Queensland Government has promised $250 million for new water supply for Townsville.

A business case for new Townsville Port facilities is almost finished and the Queensland Government has pledged $75 million for port upgrade.

Townville's mayor Jenny Hill said choosing the right projects was essential to make a City Deal effective.

"The City Deal provides a roadmap for delivery that breaks the political cycle so it is very important to choose the right projects or areas for reform that will make the biggest difference to a city or region," Cr Hill said.

"All three levels of Government also need to buy into the key priorities of the local area that are included in any City Deal."

Cons: Some concerns that big contracts are not going to local firms.

What is the background to a SEQ City Deal?

May 2012: Co-funding model idea began in United Kingdom.

June 2015: Queensland prepares its own case for City Deals after Ms Trad looked at the UK City Deals idea in Manchester.

2016: SEQ Council of Mayors, Queensland Property Council and Queensland Government put a plan together.

November 2016: Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk signed a memorandum of understanding with prime minister Malcolm Turnbull in November 2016 to develop "tailored City Deals" for Queensland.

February 2017: Ms Trad and Cr Quirk wrote to Minister Taylor agreeing to a joint-submission.

Late 2017 – A Cities Transformation TaskForce established in Brisbane.

June 2018: Queensland's major contractors called for a City Deal.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/helenhutchings/status/1026589571838926849

[Stillwater]

Notice how these events and strategy documents have a name and title along the lines of 'Towards Something' -- Towards 2031 or something else we are heading towards.  The inference is that whatever is outlined will be achieved by the date indicated, but it never is.  The 'Towards Such-and-Such' strategy is replaced by one a few years out from when we are supposed to get where we are heading and the 'towards' date is pushed out even further and further!  How about a 'definitely get there by 2051' strategy, with an appendix showing the taxes and charges required to achieve the outcome. The jellybacks in politics want to sell the glam, but lack the intestinal fortitude to implement what's necessary, or half of them must oppose good policy, and frustrate it, because that is the cut and thrust of Queensland politics.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Landmark deal could bring big changes for Brisbane, southeast QLD

SOUTHEAST Queensland could become a '45-minute' region under a landmark city deal to boost the local economy.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad and Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk met with business leaders this morning to discuss their plan to strike a City Deal with the federal government.

It would lead to more funding for the state's southeast and ensure there is a collaborate approach between all levels of government as well as the private sector to deliver essential infrastructure projects.

Cr Quirk touted the potential benefits it could deliver for transport across the region.

"There has been a lot of talk about a 30-minute city – we want to see a three-quarter hour region," he said, referring to the amount of time it takes to get from one end of the region to the other by public transport.

"And to achieve that, we really want to see, in the long term, fast rail opportunities (for) Sunshine Coast (and) Brisbane, Brisbane to Gold Coast."

The deal would extend beyond infrastructure and affect about three million people who live in the southeast – making it the biggest City Deal in Australia's history.

Several other City Deals have already been agreed to in Australia, including one that is helping to deliver a new stadium in Townsville.

Ms Trad said a deal in SEQ would ensure the region is plugged into the "fastest growing economic zone in the world".

"This is going to be the most significant City Deal," she said.

"What we are really aiming to try and achieve through this collaborative City Deal process is to take the region ... to the next level economically."

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> How south-east Queensland measures up to the world

South-east Queensland ranks last in export businesses, last in international internet connectivity, second-last in preserving green space but first in attracting international students to our universities compared with 10 similar regions throughout the world.

Our lifestyle is still ranked as top shelf.

However, it is south-east Queensland's high population growth (50 per cent by 2040) that makes it a potentially high-performing region.

An October 2017 report commissioned by Queensland Treasury measures the comparative advantages and weaknesses of 10 comparative regions throughout the world.

Urbanist and chairman of Jones Lang Lasalle's Cities Research Centre, Professor Greg Clark, was asked by Queensland Treasury to assess south-east Queensland's strengths and weaknesses against 10 peer regions from throughout the world.

Its capital city Brisbane is regarded as performing fourth of these 10 peer regions overall and south-east-Queensland ranks fifth for having "cultural activities/attractions".

While south-east Queensland ranked highest in luring international students to Queensland universities, it ranked eighth in the higher education standards of people over 15 years of age.

It is ranked eighth (of the 10 peer regions) in internet speed and eighth in companies lodging patents.

However, south-east Queensland ranks third for low air pollution, its three-bedroom units are relatively affordable (ranking third) and it has done well at getting extra five star hotels in the past three four years (second on the list).

It is slow travelling by train outside Brisbane (compared with Europe and Japan), the region's port cargo level ranks eight of 10, while its airport cargo ranks ninth.

That is a quick summary of south-east Queensland's strengths and weaknesses as it approaches the federal government with a bid for a 20-year City Deal funding program.

Professor Clark chose south-east Queensland's "peer" regions and measured the performance of our capital city.

Here they are ranked in performance:

    Vancouver in Canada
    Barcelona in Spain
    Hamburg in Germany
    Brisbane in south-east Queensland
    San Diego in California
    Miami in Florida
    Rotterdam in Holland
    Busan in China
    Cape Town in South Africa
    Fukuoka in Japan

These are some of Professor Clark's key points using figures from 2017.

1. South-east Queensland's population of 3.3 million (2017) puts it inside the top 150 regions of the world.

2. Queensland's capital Brisbane ranked 37th of the world's capital cities compared with Vancouver (20), Barcelona (24), Hamburg (30), Miami (38), Rotterdam (51), San Diego (52), Busan (65), Capetown (78) and Fukuoka (91). It ranked fourth within the 10 in the peer regions.

3. South-east Queensland's anticipated population growth of 50 per cent is a potential strength, Professor Clark's report says.

"South-east Queensland has also acquired highly diversified population over the past 30 years and in 2017 it is the 3rd most demographically diverse of the 10 regions."

Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad, speaking after the Tuesday business breakfast, said she believed getting the "extra freight connectivity" from Acacia Ridge rail yards – where the federal government's Inland Rail project finishes – and the Port of Brisbane would be "a critical issue" for a south-east Queensland City Deal.

"I think there is plenty of opportunity for the mayors, the state government as well as the Commonwealth to recognise a whole list of important projects," Ms Trad said.

"While there may not be a signature transformative project like the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail project, there is a number of projects which can have a transformative impact on the South East Queensland economy."

Port of Brisbane chief executive Roy Cummins said work was under way to improve export efficiency at the Port of Brisbane.

This includes a study to identify and preserve a corridor for the link between Acacia Ridge and the Port of Brisbane.

"If we can get the supply chain right, Queensland's export potential is unlimited, which is why establishing dedicated freight rail access to the Port of Brisbane must be on the agenda with all levels of government," Mr Cummins said.

"We welcome the state and federal government's initiative to embark on $1.5 million study into 'rail freight links' to the Port of Brisbane," he said.

"It is crucial that this study leads to corridor preservation, which then lays the platform for a Port Connection to be built."

Federal Cities Minister Paul Fletcher said he welcomed debate on the proposed south-east Queensland City Deal, although he declined to answer specific questions.

"The Turnbull government is pleased to see a high degree of interest in its City Deal agenda," he said.

"City Deals have been agreed for Townsville, Launceston and Western Sydney and negotiations are currently underway for City Deals in Darwin, Hobart, Geelong and Perth.

"We will continue to work with our state counterparts to sequence the location of future City Deals."

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Brisbane population growing by 1000 a week

BRISBANE'S population is growing by almost 1000 residents a week, as the drought and a search for jobs drives people in from the regions.

Queensland's population has historically been decentralised, with Brisbane's share of the total smaller than the rest of the state.

But new Australian Bureau of Statistics data reveals a major social shift, with the capital catching up.

The state's population grew by 840,000 in 10 years — nearly 452,000 of it in Greater Brisbane.

The average Queenslander is nudging middle age at 37.

The drift of younger people to the city for work and education means Greater Brisbane is also younger at 35 compared with the rest of the state Q where it is 39.

McCrindle social researcher Geoff Brailey said the trend would have a major impact on infrastructure and how cities like Brisbane cope with growth.

Sydney and Melbourne accounted for 10 million of the national population of 25 million, and they were attracting the majority of overseas migration where as Queensland was leading the rankings for interstate migration.

In the year to June 2017, the number of people living in Greater Brisbane swelled by 48,000 to reach 2.4 million.

The fastest growth over the year in the southeast region was at Pimpama on the Gold Coast, which was up by nearly 31 per cent.

The mining town of Collinsville in the Bowen Basin shrank by 5 per cent.

Economist Nick Behrens said the pattern showed how powerful the lure of a good job was.

"You can see the population flowing away from the regions to the coast,'' he said.

The suburb with Brisbane's youngest population was St Lucia, based on the University of Queensland.

The oldest population in Queensland was Bribie Island, where the median age was 59.

Wacol had the state's highest ratio of males to females because of the prison.

Coming in second was the Tablelands region, based around Atherton, where there are 151 males to 100 females.

[techblitz]

McCrindle social researcher Geoff Brailey said the trend would have a major impact on infrastructure and how cities like Brisbane cope with growth.

eg:

https://www.numbeo.com/traffic/rankings_current.jsp

check inefficiency index...

Inefficiency Index - is an estimation of inefficiencies in the traffic, with high inefficiencies it assumes driving, long commute times, etc. It is meant to be more measurements of economies of scale in traffic.

Brisbane 33rd worst out of 200 cities....and the worst for Australia with a sizeable gap to the next city..

[ozbob]

Thanks TB, bottler!!   

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/1035688207310970881

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> SEQ takes City Deal funds bid to Canberra to test coalition and Labor

New Cities Minister Alan Tudge has met with mayors from south-east Queensland to discuss their bid to sign a major intergovernmental planning and investment deal.

City Deals bind federal, state and local governments as a group to agree to a 15-year rolling funding program of infrastructure projects.

Australia has three such deals backed by the federal government and signed in the past three years: Townsville, Launceston and Western Sydney.

South-east Queensland's mayors want Australia's next City Deal to cover their fast-growing region, stretching from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast and west to Toowoomba.

"I welcomed the opportunity to meet with key stakeholders from south-east
Queensland earlier this week," Mr Tudge said.

"Supporting south-east Queensland is a key focus for the coalition government and we
have shown this through our commitment to infrastructure investment across the
region."

Mr Tudge listed $20 billion in highway and rail projects supported in the 2018-19 federal budget to demonstrate his government's support.

He said City Deals were "inherently complex", dealing with significant infrastructure and planning challenges and needing resources from all three levels of government.

"I was pleased to see the planning and work done by south-east Queensland
stakeholders on the submission," he said.

On Wednesday, Mr Tudge met Brisbane lord mayor Graham Quirk - who chairs the Council of Mayors - South-east Queensland (COMSEQ) -  Sunshine Coast mayor Mark Jamieson, Redland mayor Karen Williams and others.

They pushed for the bid to have all three levels of government commit to funding different projects over an agreed time frame.

Queensland's Labor government supports the City Deal scheme and contributes money to Townsville's City Deal to assist with port, sport fields and rail development.

But federal Labor planned to change the City Deals policy to a new City Partnerships scheme, with closer links between federal and local governments, if it won office.

Labor Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development spokesman Anthony Albanese, who met with COMSEQ on Tuesday, did not reply to a request from Fairfax Media for comments on the City Deal briefing.

Federal Labor had promised at the 2015 federal election to provide $800 million to the Cross River Rail project.

Cr Quirk said he appreciated the meetings with Mr Tudge, deputy prime minister Michael McCormack and key opposition figures Bill Shorten and Mr Albanese.

"We had the opportunity to bring Minister Tudge up to speed on our submission," he said.

"We did not expect a decision on our submission, but it was a good opportunity to demonstrate that our planning is well advanced."

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Deputy Premier Jackie Trad says it's time for a City Deal for southeast

IT'S time for a City Deal for southeast Queensland.

Over the next 25 years, almost two million more people will call this region home.

And why wouldn't they?

From the Sunshine Coast to the border, Toowoomba to Moreton Bay, the southeast offers the kind of lifestyle that more and more Australians want. In fact, Queensland is now the No.1 destination for interstate migration.

We have a diverse and growing economy, iconic beaches, key agricultural zones, thriving regional centres as well as the country's third largest city. There is something for everyone.

But, of course, with this growth comes challenges.

For example, with two million more residents, this means we need almost 800,000 new homes and one million new jobs.

And, we need the infrastructure and services that build thriving communities and preserve the lifestyle that we enjoy here.

It is critical that we act now to make sure our region doesn't just get bigger, but it gets better.

To achieve this, we need to come together and leverage the power and insight of all levels of government, industry and the community.

The Palaszczuk Government is already working hard in this space.

We brought together the mayors across the region to develop the South East Queensland Regional Plan to deliver a 50-year vision for our region.

This plan sets the markers by which we can grow sustainably, compete globally and offer the high-quality lifestyle and services that all Queenslanders deserve.

And we brought all three levels of government and the community together to establish the Townsville City Deal – an Australian first.

This deal is already delivering for north Queensland. The future home of the Cowboys, the new North Queensland Stadium, is under heavy construction, a solution to ongoing water security challenges has been brokered – and funded by the Palaszczuk Government – and channel-widening is set to begin at the Port of Townsville to expand our closest major port to the fastest growing economic zone in the world.

It was through the City Deal that we were able to secure these investments – the investments that the region will need for the future.

Now, it's time for a City Deal for SEQ. A City Deal can deliver the big investments we need to transform travel throughout our nation's largest conurbation by identifying, sequencing and delivering a new wave of major projects.

A City Deal can support thousands of new high-value jobs in sectors like advanced manufacturing, agribusiness and health and education.

And a City Deal can deliver the partnership we need between all three levels of government – and with the private sector – if we are to maximise SEQ's potential during the next wave of global growth.

The Palaszczuk Government is already doing the heavy lifting in infrastructure delivery. We are making the big investments to transform our region, including Gold Coast Light Rail, the Beerburrum to Nambour rail upgrade, upgrades to the M1 and the Bruce Highway, and, of course, the Cross River Rail.

The Cross River Rail will unlock the bottleneck at the heart of our passenger rail network, which will mean we can run more trains more often to service our growing region.

But the scale and pace of our growth means all three levels of government need to collaborate much more effectively to deliver the planning and infrastructure we need in the right place at the right time.

The best way to do that is through a City Deal for SEQ.

Simply, City Deals are long-term, formal agreements between state, local and federal governments to deliver the projects and reforms needed to transform cities and regions.

In the UK, where the idea was first developed, City Deals are delivering big infrastructure projects, a more highly skilled workforce and more effective governance in metropolitan areas just like SEQ.

It means making a plan together, and then sticking to it. That's what we need now.

The Courier Mail's Future SEQ series has highlighted many of the challenges and opportunities facing our region as we grow beyond five million residents.

As we look ahead to that future, we should be ambitious about what we can become – but that ambition must be matched by action. That action starts with a City Deal.

The Palaszczuk Government is ready to start negotiating. The SEQ Council of Mayors is on board. The private sector thinks this level of co-ordination and co-operation is long overdue.

We're just waiting for the Morrison Government to get serious and come to the negotiating table.

As DP Trad confirms, it is all about polyticks in the end ... 

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Southeast Queensland could get biggest City Deal in the country

SOUTHEAST Queensland looks set to be awarded the biggest City Deal in the country, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealing support for an ambitious plan to modernise the region.

Mr Morrison – who spent hours sitting in traffic during his recent trip to Brisbane – will today answer the call of southeast Queensland mayors, the State Government and The Courier-Mail's Future SEQ campaign to transform one of the fastest-growing regions in the nation.

He will be presented with a blueprint to supercharge southeast Queensland's economy while protecting its world-class lifestyle when 10 mayors and the State Government begin negotiations in Canberra as early as tomorrow.

The far-reaching goals include transforming the public transport system with a new wave of major projects to speed up services, enabling commuters to get across the same city in 30 minutes and from anywhere in the region to Brisbane within 45 minutes.

Economic modelling by consultants KPMG found the plan would deliver a $58 billion boost to the rapidly growing region over the next 25 years.

The Transforming SEQ proposal would bring all three levels of government together on an agreed set of infrastructure, economic, development and sustainability priorities and funding models for a quarter of a century.

Mr Morrison told The Courier-Mail he wanted the deal to go ahead. It is the second City Deal for Queensland, with a rugby league stadium the anchor project in Townsville.

"I am committed to partnering with the State Government and local councils to deliver a City Deal for southeast Queensland,'' Mr Morrison said.

"Already we are delivering billions of dollars of funding for congestion-busting roads and rail projects, and this new deal will help unlock further investment to make sure Queensland remains a major tourism destination and one of the world's premier locations to live, work and raise a family.

"I want people to get home sooner and have dinner as a family.

"I want tradies to spend less time on the road and more time at the worksite."

One in seven Australians live in southeast Queensland and several seats held by the Federal Government are marginal, such as Dickson, Petrie, Brisbane and Forde.

The announcement today will be a key theme of the coming election campaign, with Mr Morrison to focus on working with other levels of governments to ensure families and workers have the infrastructure of the 21st Century.

The State Government and the region's mayors will also pitch their plan to Labor this week, although Opposition infrastructure spokesman Anthony Albanese has already offered initial support.

The ambitious plan proposes huge investments to position SEQ as the country's leading smart digital region.

The need to lock in such an agreement was the No.1 point in the action plan developed from The Courier-Mail's recent Future SEQ series investigating the challenges and opportunities as the area booms between now and 2043.

"SEQ is growing and changing and we know that we have to work together to maintain the great lifestyle that makes this community special," Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad said.

"We have so much untapped potential, which is why we want to ensure growth makes our region better, not just bigger."

The report says southeast Queensland – from the border to Noosa and west to Toowoomba – is growing at twice the OECD average.

The current 3.5 million population will swell by 1.9 million over the next 25 years, requiring an extra 800,000 homes and another one million jobs.

"We are at a pivotal moment for SEQ, and a City Deal that brings together the three levels of government with the community and industry around a common agenda could be a catalyst to make the region even better," the 60-page document says.

"Through a City Deal, we can partner to be more prosperous and more liveable – one region that is connected locally and competing ­globally."

The proposal details 35 "opportunities" including six which it dubs "game ­changers".

They include building on the multibillion-dollar Cross River Rail and Brisbane Metro projects with a new raft of public transport initiatives. It says connecting Inland Rail to the Port of Brisbane would spark a trade and enterprise spine stretching from Toowoomba to the coast, and unlock new employment in fast-growing areas such as Ipswich and Logan.

Growing the network of innovation precincts is a crucial element, and the proposal sets a target of positioning SEQ as Australia's leading digital technology centre.

There would be more strategic planning and development of infrastructure and services for high-growth mini-cities springing up across the region.

MP for Fairfax Ted O'Brien, who has repeatedly pushed for a City Deal, said it was a unique opportunity "to get ahead of the population curve and plan for investments from both private and public sectors".

Krisha Rajput, who relies on public transport for her job in Greenslopes, said the area needed faster public transport.

"The buses are pretty fast but the trains could definitely run faster," she said.

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament Hansard

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/2019/2019_02_12_DAILY.pdf

Questions Without Notice 12 Feb 2019

South-East Queensland City Deal

Ms LINARD: My question is to the Deputy Premier and Treasurer. Will the Deputy Premier please
advise the House how the government has been making the case for a City Deal for South-East
Queensland and how such a deal will benefit our region?

Ms TRAD: I thank the member for Nudgee for the question. I know the member for Nudgee is
acutely aware of the pressures that additional population growth, particularly in the South-East
Queensland corner, is putting on the roads and the public transport system, on our schools and on our
health services right across the region, including her area of Nudgee. I have stood on train platforms
with the member for Nudgee in the past and I am acutely aware—

Opposition members interjected.

Mr SPEAKER: Order! Members to my left, the Deputy Premier was not making any inflammatory
statements. There was no need for those interjections.

Ms TRAD: I have stood in this House on a number of occasions and talked about the necessity
for a City Deal for South-East Queensland. There is a City Deal in Queensland in Townsville and it is
reaping benefits for that community. Here in the South-East Queensland corner we are seeing
incredible population growth—population growth at times on par with both Melbourne and Sydney.
What we need do in response to this growth is have all jurisdictions sitting at the table, coming together
in a way that is cooperative to make sure that we are funding and financing the infrastructure that our
communities need in response to this growth. That is what an SEQ City Deal is all about.

I was very surprised to see this morning that the federal government has finally woken up—has
finally come to the table after three years of lobbying by the Palaszczuk Labor government and by the
mayors in the South-East Queensland corner. We have written numerous letters—nine letters in total
over three years. Some of them have been responded to—most of them not. Our fourth cities minister
in the space of three years, Minister Tudge, finally responded to two pieces of correspondence that I
sent to him in October and November last year in response to our request for the Commonwealth
government to come to the table to start discussing a City Deal with the government and with mayors.
He has finally responded this morning—this morning—to our request.

On the eve of a federal election, with a federal election only weeks away, what we have seen is
a desperate Morrison LNP government following in the footsteps of federal Labor who months and
months ago said they are willing to pursue a city partnership with Queensland and with the mayors of
the South-East Queensland corner to progress a city partnership for Queensland. This is about making
sure that we get real outcomes. What we have seen from today's announcement from the LNP
government is more words. We want to see words matched with real funding against real projects that
will alleviate congestion and population pressure in our communities. Coming up to the next federal
election we will not just be talking; we will be out there campaigning for it.

[ozbob]

TransformingSEQ
The SEQ City Deal Proposition
February 2019

https://s3.treasury.qld.gov.au/files/TransformingSEQ_CityDealProposition_Final_2.pdf

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> South-east Queensland economy could be '$58 billion bigger' under new deal

South-east Queensland's economy could be "$58 billion bigger" if the federal government committed "money, not words" to support its three-year bid for a City Deal, deputy premier Jackie Trad said on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Ms Trad released Transforming SEQ, which is the City Deal proposition the Queensland government and its south-east Queensland mayors take to Canberra on Wednesday.

That contains KPMG modelling that shows the south-east Queensland economy could get a $58 billion boost with a small productivity increase.

The report says this is a 0.25 per cent increase in annual multi-factor productivity growth across the south-east Queensland regional economy.

It includes long-discussed, but yet-to-be-defined projects to get interstate freight to Brisbane port more efficiently and side benefits from Brisbane's new cruise ship terminal at the port.

This modelling will be put to federal MPs, including Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on Wednesday.

"We want to see words match the funding," Ms Trad said.

"Real funding against real projects that will alleviate congestion and population pressure in our communities."

South-east Queensland wants to leverage strong growth from its four airports at Brisbane, the Gold Coast,  the Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba Wellcamp, the City Deal proposition released on Tuesday shows.

It wants to capitalise on the Port of Brisbane being five sailing days closer to Asia than either Sydney or Melbourne.

"KPMG modelling indicates the SEQ economy may be up to $58 billion bigger than 'business as usual' if we realise an ambitious City Deal that turns the dial on our region's productivity and competitiveness," the Transforming SEQ report says.

Queensland has promoted the idea for more than three years, with Ms Trad, as planning minister, studying the funding model in the United Kingdom in 2015.

Ahead of the 2019 federal election, the Queensland government and the mayors of south-east Queensland will travel to Canberra on Wednesday to push their final case for the region to receive a City Deal from the federal government.

They will push five sectors of the south-east Queensland economy seen as comparative advantages; advanced manufacturing (defence), agribusiness, health and education, and transport and tourism.

They will meet with both the Coalition government and Labor opposition in Canberra to present their City Deal case over the next two days.

Under a City Deal arrangement, all three levels of government sign agreements to jointly fund chosen projects over 10 to 15 years.

Before Wednesday's meetings in Canberra, a string of Queensland-based federal MPs – most on marginal seats – said they would support a City Deal for south-east Queensland.

Queensland is key to the fortunes of the federal government at the next federal election, likely in May.

Ms Trad on Tuesday said she was "surprised" to read on Tuesday morning of the federal government supporting a City Deal for south-east Queensland.

"We have written numerous letters, nine letters in total over three years," Ms Trad said.

"Some of them have been responded to, most of them not.

"Our fourth Cities Minister in the space of three years, Minister (Alan) Tudge, finally responded to two pieces of correspondence that I sent to him in October and November last year, in response to our request for the Commonwealth government to come to the table to start discussing a City Deal with the government and with mayors."

Ms Trad questioned the timing of Mr Tudge's reply.

"With the federal election only weeks away, what we have seen is a desperate Morrison LNP government following in the footsteps of federal Labor, who months and months and months ago said they are willing to pursue a city partnership with Queensland and with the mayors of south-east Queensland corner to progress a city partnership for Queensland," Ms Trad said.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk signed a memorandum of understanding in November 2016 with former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull to develop City Deals for Queensland.

Mr Turnbull was dumped as leader by the Liberal Party in August 2018.

Lord mayor Graham Quirk will speak about the Transforming SEQ report on Tuesday afternoon before heading to Canberra.

The key advantages Queensland wants to expand in its City Deal, according to the Transforming SEQ study, are south-east Queensland's airports and the Port of Brisbane.

"Four international airports, including Brisbane Airport, which operates 24/7 without a curfew, is the largest airport by land size in Australia, and will soon benefit from the opening of a second [sic] runway," it says.

Brisbane Airport already has a second runway. A parallel runway to the airports main runway is in the final stage of construction.

On the Port of Brisbane, the report notes: "The Port of Brisbane, which is up to five sailing days closer to Asia than Sydney or Melbourne and one of the fastest growing and least-constrained container ports in Australia."

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Southeast Queensland City Deal: Why we should be 'outrageous' in our goals

LEADING social demographer Bernard Salt is urging southeast Queenslanders to be "outrageous" in their goals on the back of a City Deal being agreed for the region.

As The Courier-Mail reported exclusively yesterday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison will support a historic proposal from the Palaszczuk Government and SEQ Council of Mayors for a shared plan to tackle congestion, boost the economy and protect lifestyle in the region.

The deal would set infrastructure priorities and funding models over the next quarter of a century.

"This changes things from a three-year political cycle to a 25-year planning horizon," said Mr Salt, who conducted exclusive research for The Courier-Mail's recent Future SEQ series investigating the looming challenges and opportunities.

"This is the opportunity to re-imagine southeast Queensland as a region of five million-plus people. That vision needs to be lateral and creative, bold and courageous.

"We should not be shy in our aspirations or modest in our ambitions. Our goals should be outrageous."

PM backs 'game-changing' plan to transform SEQ

Labor leader Bill Shorten and Opposition infrastructure spokesman Anthony Albanese are expected to meet a mayoral delegation today.

Mr Albanese said an incoming ALP Government would honour any City Deal which had been signed and expand it under the party's Labor's proposed City Partnership's scheme.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad yesterday said she was "very excited" that the Morrison Government had come to the table to start discussions on a City Deal.

"But we want to make sure that any formal discussions around the Southeast Queensland City Deal are done in Queensland and include the State Government," she said.

"So we're looking forward to Minister (Alan) Tudge responding to our request to come to Queensland and to start a good faith negotiation around the best possible City Deal that we need for southeast Queensland."

Brisbane Lord Mayor and South East Queensland Council of Mayors Chairman Graham Quirk described the decision to move ahead with a City Deal as a "red letter day" for the region.

"It starts as a discussion platform around finding that common ground where federal, state and local government can agree in terms of the details of the City Deal over the next 15 to 20 year period," he said.

"The important thing is that all three entities will be at the table before there are any formal negotiations."

The agreement and detailed proposal of priorities have drawn overwhelming support.

"The future success of the SEQ region will rely on big picture, paradigm-changing thinking," Australian Industry Group Queensland Head Shane Rodgers said: "We can either be a mediocre region that grows incrementally with constant Band-Aid solutions or we can build a globally-significant metropolis that combines strong connectivity, liveability and employment in quality, high skill jobs."

Property Council Queensland executive director Chris Mountford, a longtime advocate for City Deals, said clear infrastructure plans, better co-ordinated land-use planning and freeing up underused government land would all be positive.

Brisbane Airport Corporation CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff said: "Creating trade husband corridors and connecting key population and growth centres through new and visionary infrastructure will unlock enormous benefits for southeast Queensland for decades to come."

Port of Brisbane CEO said a proposed connection to Inland Rail was "crucial" to getting freight off trucks and on to rail. "That means less traffic congestion, safer roads, less pollution, and a lower cost supply chain network."

Infrastructure Association of Queensland CEO Steve Abson said the move was "well-timed" and could lead to "even bolder opportunities for southeast Queensland, such as those that come with a tilt at the Olympic and Paralympic Games".

Sue Johnson, group executive of toll road operator Transurban Queensland, said they welcomed all initiatives focused on infrastructure ''to ensure our state is ready for the future growth that's on its way".

A RACQ spokesman said while the plan was a great start, there was still a need for an integrated public transport authority to co-ordinate frequent services across council boundaries to encourage more use.

Infrastructure Australia chair Julieanne Alroe said the progress was pleasing. "The focus from all levels of government should be on creating liveable cities, and enabling fast-growing regions like SEQ to share in our future prosperity."

[Stillwater]

Before the dollars flow, expect a lot of rhetoric, colour and light ... and a video.  In the way that these things are played out, there will be argy bargy over who pays what percentage of costs ... announcements by the Queensland Government of projects outside the scope of the programmed works, a go-slow by the state government on projects the feds favour but which the Queensland Government disagrees.  More silly stuff along the lines of the 80/20 funding split or 'this can be built if the state coughs up 50 per cent'.

I doubt whether the Queensland Government has sufficient money to fund its share of the costs in any SEQ City Deal.  It will whine and complain every step of the way - even though billions will be tossed our way as the feds seek to win the May election.

[ozbob]

Wishin' and hopin' .... 

We have seen a lot since 2006, Connecting SEQ 2031, the Queensland Plan, the Rail Revolution, Light Rail to Cleveland and Ferny Grove .. it is difficult not to be a tad cynical.  I know the SEQ Council of Mayors has put an enormous effort in on this to try to turn around the cycle of inspirational failure. 

I do wish them well ...

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/glennmacrae/status/1095290651862679552

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/SEQMayors/status/1095483524172279809

[SurfRail]

Not for the first time, I'm quite comfortable the Gold Coast doesn't waste money on participating in this dog and pony show.  Saddling ourselves to anything BCC does is not a recipe for winning.

[Andrew]

The cynic in me thinks this is all part of an election ploy.  I mean, the Feds have so far baulked at funding Cross River Rail and now "suddenly" they can afford it.

[timh]

I actually had a chance to speak to Graham Quirk personally about this recently.

I was running the tech for a Council conference, and after the event he was fielding questions from the public. I asked him whether the City Deal would still be able to go ahead, even if there was a potential change in government at a federal. He confirmed that on a visit to Canberra that day (Wednesday 13th Feb) he had met with Bill Shorten who apparently indicated his equal support for the City Deal should Labor come into power at a federal level. Ultimately though he said he would simply work with whatever the government of the day was.

I'm no expert with how this stuff works, but realistically even if it is an election ploy by the LNP, but we end up with it anyway (because Labor doesn't seem keen on scrapping it), then isn't it a win win?

[Stillwater]

Coalition calls it CityDeal.

Labor says it has a new, brighter version of the same think -- called City Partnerships.

http://anthonyalbanese.com.au/media-release-labor-will-deliver-city-partnerships-wednesday-11-july-2018

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/SEQMayors/status/1106382715668955136

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Politicians sign up to share SEQ City Deal funding by mid-2020

Beneath Brisbane's Story Bridge on Friday, the latest steps were taken towards a multibillion-dollar, 20-year plan to cope with the needs of an extra 1.9 million people set to live in south-east Queensland.

The next step will be a binding agreement - the long-awaited South East Queensland City Deal - to be signed in mid-2020 regardless of the May 2019 federal election outcome.

It's claimed the region's economy could expand by $58 billion by 2041 under the wide-ranging agreement, factoring in just a 0.25 per cent boost to efficiency.

Under the plan, about 800,000 new homes will be built for the 1.9 million new residents in the region, ostensibly without sending koalas extinct or constricting green space.

It will identify new creative precincts, sports precincts and travel links.

Queensland Treasurer Jackie Trad breathed a little easier after signing the documents with Cities Minister Alan Tudge and Brisbane lord mayor Graham Quirk.

"Fundamentally I now think this is going to go ahead," Ms Trad told 550 delegates to a Queensland Property Council lunch after the signing.

Cr Quirk - also the chairman of the South East Queensland Council of Mayors, which lobbies on behalf of nine south-east Queensland councils - said it was time to move away from political infighting.

The short, three-page document signed on Friday was a statement of intent for a future South East Queensland City Deal, Australia's ninth and likely to be its largest.

Since December 2016, City Deals have been signed or mooted in Darwin, Launceston, Townsville, Western Sydney, Adelaide, Hobart, Geelong and Perth.

"We know that south-east Queensland is one of the fast-growing areas of Australia," Mr Tudge said on Friday.

"And we need to make sure that the three levels of government are working cooperatively together to ensure that we can maintain the pace of growth, while ensuring that we maintain the liveability at the same time."

"This will be the largest, and most complex, City Deal 1that we will negotiate across Australia."

The statement followed a mixed record of intergovernmental cooperation to build big projects.

The extension of the Gold Coast light rail project to the heavy rail link at Helensvale in time for the 2018 Commonwealth Games showcased three levels of government chipping in to produce a significant result in a tight timeframe.

But discussions about Brisbane's various Cross River Rail projects have constituted an ugly, 12-year political sore on the relationships between consecutive Queensland and federal governments.

The Queensland government eventually decided to build the underground rail link alone.

Cross River Rail and the council's Brisbane Metro bi-articulated bus network project, as well as the Commonwealth's Inland Rail, are covered under connecting infrastructure.

Jobs and skills, liveability, housing, building a new digital economy and building upon tri-governmental leadership comprised the other five sections.

Ms Trad said the city deal had to be regional because of south-east Queensland's connectivity, with people commuting from the Redlands and the coasts for work and services in Brisbane.

"This the fundamental characteristic of our population here in south-east Queensland," she said.

"Unless we understand that - in terms of pressing the City Deal - then it will be a failure."

Cr Quirk emphasised the region's power.

"You go to a local government in any other part of this country and they do not have the collective respect that the South East Queensland Council of Mayors has," he said.

"When we go to Canberra, we go with one voice. We go with a combined hymn sheet if you like, where we have agreed on the agenda as to where we are going to go regardless of political differences."

City Deals build on large transport infrastructure projects - like Cross River Rail, the Gold Coast light rail project and the future Sunshine Coast light rail project - and open up land for housing, community infrastructure and businesses.

What happens next?
The City Deal needs to be nutted out over the next 12 months, when politicians will consult on project definitions and priorities.

It will ultimately be signed in mid-2020.

Mr Tudge said he could not yet estimate the financial scale of the deal.

"I think all three levels of government are going into this with good intents to work through the process," he said.

He did not accept that federal Labor's promise of $2.24 billion to Cross River Rail - which the Coalition would not match because it wants to put its money elsewhere - was an indicator of how much it might put towards the SEQ City Deal.

"It is just impossible to say at this stage what the scale of the (City) Deal is, or what it is going to look like."

Federal Labor backs the concept and - if it wins the federal election in May 2019 - will support any deal that has been signed.

Mr Tudge on Friday said he regarded the federal, state and SEQ Council of Mayor's as being in "equal partnership" in a SEQ City Deal, similar to Labor's position of giving councils more say.

Shadow Minister for Cities Anthony Albanese questioned the timing of Friday's announcement.

"The Coalition has had six years to sign a City Deal with south-east Queensland and, just like its other City Deals, it's taken an election to get them across the line," Mr Albanese said.

"In this time they have dudded the people of south-east Queensland by not investing a single dollar in the project that would make the biggest difference in the region – Cross River Rail.

"We will overhaul their politicised City Deals program and replace it with City Partnerships, which will involve genuine collaboration with state governments, local councils and their communities."

[Stillwater]

So, what has been signed is not a deal, but a statement of intent to have one.  Big deal!

It may be advantageous, when the deal is finally done, if it ends the ongoing political bickering about infrastructure funding.

What the Feds have been seeking, it would seem, is some coherent and coordinated infrastructure plan for SEQ, rather than an unfunded wish list, or a Mickey Mouse glossy brochure.

At least we will know what projects will be funded and, therefore, which ones will proceed over multiple years -- not the stop-start fiasco that is the SCL duplication, for instance.

As for the federal Coalition possibly backing down and funding CRR (and we don't know if that is certain), it would be okay if the terms of the deal held Trad and Co. to statements about Fed money in would allow for displacement of state money out to other projects -- and those projects and the funding split for them are defined within the agreement.  However, the state has said it will fund CRR 100 per cent, so alternatively it might be okay for one or two projects to be funded 100 per cent by the Feds, or 90 per cent, or a three-way split among all levels of government (a la Redcliffe Peninsula Line).   Or whatever combination.

But Ms Trad must remember - a deal is a deal.

Let's hope to God that the Queensland Government has done its sums for all the projects on the table and has prepared accurate costings as part of the Business Case process.  This is a significant failing of Queensland planners in the past.

It is important because let's say a project in the deal is worth $100m and will be funded one third by each level of government.  Then, oh dear, the project cost at the time it is built increases to $120m.  The deal says $33m each, but the reality to make it happen is $40m each.

Here's how the feud will start all over again... Queensland will argue that the Feds need to tip in an extra $7m (because the deal was a third, a third, a third).  The Feds will say 'no', its capped commitment was $33m and that is it.  If an additional $7m is required in federal money in order to meet the cost overrun, it should come from another fed-funded project within the deal.  In other words the Feds will argue that its overall contribution to the deal was capped and the other two levels of government signed up to that -- in blood.

Due to their own failings at cost estimation, state and local government will argue ... but but but.  It's unfair!

And Ms Trad will march straight down to the Tweed, stand in the direction of Canberra and, once again, scream SHOW ME THE MONEY.

So, it is all about rigorous Business Cases and good cost estimation, folks.  Queensland intends to regard Business Cases as an 'unnecessary evil' to get our hands on some fed money ... just a bit of paperwork that doesn't matter.  How often in the past has Queensland failed to follow the IA rules?  The states that do get their money, Queensland has failed spectacularly several times, most notably with CRR.

Maybe the City Deal needs a good lawyer SurfRail.

[verbatim9]

^^In others words a "moratorium of understanding".

[techblitz]

20-year plan to cope with the needs of an extra 1.9 million people set to live in south-east Queensland.

that is 95000 people into the region every year for the next 20 years.....when we are currently struggling to keep on top of 50k per year..
Were we even asked if we would accept this future level of growth? Asked if we are prepared to have our hospitals,dams,roads,public transport,schools put under immense pressure in the event that the incumbents of the day cant keep up with that insane level of growth??.

Everyone should be getting a say on this....because at the moment it only looks like big business,red/blue career politicians and MSM are the ones getting a say......everyone else seems to be irrelevant.

[#Metro]

So, what has been signed is not a deal, but a statement of intent to have one.  Big deal!

^ This is funny! 

[Stillwater]

Memoranda of Understanding can come undone.  British PM Neville Chamberlain thought he had a deal with Adolf Hitler after the two signed a bit of paper where Hitler agreed never to invade Britain.  So, lets wait and see what comes of the City Deal intent.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Work to begin on southeast Queensland City Deal

A deal to deliver tens of billions of dollars of planning, infrastructure, economic development and investment to southeast Queensland is a moving closer to becoming a reality.

WORK on an ambitious plan to guide southeast Queensland's successful growth over the next two decades will ramp up within weeks.

Political leaders from federal and state governments and local councils are expected to get together in July to begin thrashing out the details of a City Deal agreement for the rapidly-growing region.

The need for a City Deal — which will set infrastructure, economic development and liveability priorities and funding models — was the number one point in an action plan developed from The Courier-Mail's "FutureSEQ" campaign last October.

The series investigated the opportunities and challenges facing the southeast corner over the coming quarter of a century with the population forecast to soar from 3.5 million to 5.5 million in 2043.

In a resounding success, the second and third "FutureSEQ" priority actions points — developing a rapid rail network across SEQ, and preparing a bid to host the 2032 Olympic Games — have also gained strong momentum.

A City Deal will deliver tens of billions of dollars of public transport and congestion-busting road projects, investment in industries of the future, better planned and more affordable housing and protection of the region's enviable lifestyle.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison committed to the concept in March after receiving the TransformingSEQ blueprint developed by the Palaszczuk Government and the SEQ Council of Mayors.

A statement of intent was signed by all three levels of government in March.

The re-election of the Morrison Government and federal Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge's elevation to Cabinet last week will give it extra impetus.

"This will be the most ambitious city deal that we have undertaken to date," Mr Tudge told The Couier-Mail.

"It will begin with some detailed consultations with stakeholders across the region to understand the ideas as to how SEQ should be shaped over the next 10 to 20 years. We will then proceed to detail out the precise commitments from each of the levels of government."

Mr Tudge said based on previous city deals, that was likely to take up to 12 months or so, but the "excellent work'' already done by the Council of Mayors and State Government could be leveraged to speed up the process.

The leadership group of Mr Tudge, Deputy Premier Jackie Trad and SEQ Council of Mayors chairman, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner are expected to meet next month (July).

"Delivering a City Deal for southeast Queensland is a key priority for the Palaszczuk Government, and I want to ensure the deal delivers better transport and more jobs," Ms Trad said.

Cr Schrinner said: The message we hear from our communities is that they want governments that can work together to deliver real outcomes."

The "FutureSEQ" push for a rapid rail network to enable passengers to travel between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba in 45 minutes or less was supported in the federal Budget with $14.5 million to create a National Faster Rail Agency from July to identify and support the development of fast train connections between capital cities and key regional centres.

The Brisbane to Gold Coast route was among five to be allocated money from a $40 million fund to develop businesses cases for faster rail.

A previously-funded business case for North Coast Connect — the Brisbane to Sunshine Coast project — is expected to be complete within weeks and work is underway on a study of the Brisbane to Toowoomba corridor.

A feasibility study commissioned by the SEQ Council of Mayors and released in February, found there is a "compelling" case for the region to bid for the 2032 Olympic Games.

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach encouraged the interest when he visited last month and promised the event could be staged cost-neutral.

Public support statewide has risen from 56 per cent to 65 per cent since October, and the Morrison Government has promised $10 million towards a bid. The State Government has not yet committed but Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says she was inspired by her meeting with Dr Bach and will hold further discussions with Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates next week.

In a resounding success, various levels of government have undertaken to address most of the 20 action points.

A dozen of them are reflected in the TransformingSEQ blueprint for a City Deal, including rail, Metro, roads and tunnels to ease gridlock; boosting digital connectivity and boosting innovation precincts and advanced manufacturing; better planning a residential communities and wider choice of home styles; a new tripartite board to co-ordinate regional strategy and a liveability fund to improve recreational and open space.

The Courier-Mail's major new series, "Future Tourism" — exploring how to maximise the potential of this crucial sector across the state — will launch on Friday.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Infrastructure report adds urgency to City Deal meeting

All three levels of government are about to meet to thrash out a deal to guide southeast Queensland into the future — and the need has never been more urgent.

PRESSURE is mounting on all levels of government to finalise an ambitious joint plan to guide southeast Queensland's successful growth over the next two decades.

Political heavyweights from federal, state and local governments are set to meet in Brisbane next week to advance a regional City Deal, with the talks taking on extra urgency after the release of a major infrastructure report yesterday.

The 2019 Infrastructure Audit highlighted the need for a new wave of investment and reform in southeast Queensland to maintain the region's quality of life and avoid a worsening congestion nightmare on roads.

Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge said the proposed City Deal would map out a 20-year plan to deliver major infrastructure for southeast Queensland but proper consultation could take up to 12 months.

"We're taking our time in relation to doing this because we want to get it right but ultimately it'll be a great long-term plan for southeast Queensland where the three levels of government will be joined together and committing to it," he said.

Using a City Deal agreement to develop effective transport infrastructure, including a rapid rail network connecting southeast Queensland's major population hubs, was the No. 1 priority on The Courier-Mail's Future Tourism action plan.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said she was looking forward to having a "productive discussion" next week to progress the deal.

"This would be one of the most complex City Deals undertaken thus far so it's important we identify the main issues and work towards a timeline," she said.

Fairfax MP Ted O'Brien said the next 12 months would be critical to lock down the City Deal and commit to projects that would see infrastructure "get ahead of the population curve".

"Too often infrastructure projects can be held up by one or more tiers of government whereas a City Deal provides a rolling agreement between all tiers on a pipeline of projects well into the future," he said.

UDIA Queensland CEO Kirsty Chessher-Brown said the organisation had identified 30 projects across South East Queensland that needed to be fast tracked to stimulate employment and economic activity and support the delivery of new housing for a growing population.

[#Metro]

Are level crossings and flat, straight platforms part of the City Deal?

Probably should be.

Before we think about new infrastructure, we should look at what we have already got.

Rail network is not very productive in terms of services provided. Redcliffe line is a good case in point - billions of dollars for just two trains per hour.

In contrast, the bus network is very productive. Parts of the network have services every 10-15 minutes using nothing much more than ordinary roads that already exist.

It is services that carry people, infrastructure only facilitates that. Infrastructure without the appropriate service levels is like having a pub with no beer.

We need to do better than that and use infrastructure more intensively.

It is also good to look at partial DOO on the network - the newer lines are good candidates for this.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> City Deal meetings push for better funding as SEQ infrastructure stalls

Federal, state and local politicians will meet next week in Brisbane to progress the multibillion-dollar 20-year City Deal for south-east Queensland, which is designed to eliminate politicking in infrastructure funding.

All three levels of government signed a formal intention in February 2019 to set up a City Deal that mapped out agreed funding for local, state and federal governments in a wide range of infrastructure areas.

Federal Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge met with both Brisbane's lord mayor Adrian Schrinner and state Transport Minister Mark Bailey on Tuesday to discuss the 12 Brisbane infrastructure projects the Coalition promised to fund at the May 2019 federal budget.

Those talks detailed 12 local projects – including replacing the  Coopers Plains open level rail crossing – and major changes to the Indooroopilly roundabout on Moggill Road.

Those talks followed an Infrastructure Australia audit of Australia's existing level of infrastructure funding, which showed that without significant increases in funding, south-east Queensland would find itself in gridlock in many of its key corridors.

Mr Tudge said further meetings on the south-east Queensland City Deal would be held next week.

"The three leaders (Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Deputy Premier Jackie Trad and Mr Schrinner) will be getting together again next week to discuss our progress there," Mr Tudge said.

"This will probably take another 12 months or so to map out what will be a 10- to 20-year plan for south-east Queensland," he said.

Transport infrastructure is one of the main issues within the City Deal.

Mr Tudge discussed 12 projects announced by the LNP during the May 2019 federal election, many of which were in LNP-held federal electorates.

Those 12 projects were worth $270 million, on top of the $300 million the federal government had committed for the Brisbane Metro mega-bus project, he said.

"We have been working through those projects, working out what the issues are, working through what the timelines can be," he said.

"Every single one of those projects will be getting under way within the years ahead. We will be able to provide some precise details in the upcoming weeks."

Mr Tudge said Infrastructure Australia's report did not include any projects announced by federal, state or local councils in the past 12 months.

"So it doesn't incorporate the $23 billion in new projects that we have announced since that time," he said.

Earlier, Mr Schrinner announced Brisbane City Council would provide $40 million to the federal government's $73 million to bring work forward to replace the Coopers Plains open-level rail crossing.

"The Coopers Plains rail crossing is one of the worst in Brisbane and people are well and truly sick of waiting for action here," he said.

"A few weeks back the federal government committed $73 million to this intersection upgrade and I am announcing today that Brisbane City Council will put in $40 million," he said.

He said the project was waiting on a feasibility study being evaluated by the Queensland Transport Department.

"Then they will need to come to the party as well. This will be a project funded by all three levels of government," he said.

[Stillwater]

Elsewhere where City Deals have been done, the Coopers Plains level crossing project, worthy as it is, would not have featured in discussions.  It would have been funded by state government maybe with the financial assistance of local government.  If the SEQ City Deal is a series of hit and miss small projects in marginal electorates, then the big picture will be lost and the state merely will have retreated from its responsibilities only to have the feds fill the vacuum.  That's not a good deal.  A City Deal is icing on the cake, not the milk flour and eggs.

[ozbob]

Clock starts ticking on south-east Queensland city deal https://t.co/sTdui0v24l via @brisbanetimes #qldpol #auspol

— RAIL_BoT_Forum (@railbotforum) August 21, 2019

[ozbob]

SEQ City Deal  Sunshine Coast Roundtable 6 September 2019

I have been invited to an #SEQ Stakeholder discussion with the Hon @AlanTudgeMP, Federal member for Aston and Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure.
Looking forward to highlighting the #SunshineCoast #rail, and #publictransport circumstances/needs.#2tracks

— 🄹🄴🄵🄵 🄰🄳🄳🄸🅂🄾🄽 (@Jeffrey_Addison) September 2, 2019

Thanks for your representation FF.

[Fares_Fair]

A great oppportunity for us.
Thank you Robert. 

[ozbob]

Fantastic to have Cities Minister @AlanTudgeMP in @logancc today, chatting to business and community leaders about the opportunities of the #SEQCityDeal. pic.twitter.com/tIrEoS9Rpc

— Council of Mayors (@SEQMayors) September 5, 2019

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Qld infrastructure deficit costing $4b a year, soon to be $6b

CHOKED roads and rail lines are costing Brisbane $4 billion a year, the people tasked with unlocking Queensland's potential will be told today, with the price of congestion to soar to $6 billion a year by 2030 if nothing is done.

"Over the past decade, our freeways have slowed, trains have become fuller, and many people in our community are concerned that it will only get worse," federal Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge will tell a business gathering in Brisbane today.

"Brisbane's share of this avoidable cost of congestion is currently $4 billion per year. This cost is projected to increase to more than $6 billion per year by 2030.

"Congestion, of course, is largely a function of a simple equation: rapid population growth and infrastructure not keeping pace."

With 90 per cent of Queensland's population growth last year hemmed into the southeast, Mr Tudge will tell the Infrastructure Association of Queensland's "Productivity, Population and Potential" lunch the region desperately needs a City Deal.

The need for a City Deal – which sets infrastructure, economic development and liveability priorities and funding models – was the No.1 point in an action plan developed from The Courier-Mail's Future SEQ campaign.

Already in the plan's statement of intent are Cross River Rail, which is fully funded by the State Government, Brisbane City Council's Brisbane Metro and the Commonwealth's $9.3 billion investment in the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail, but more is needed.

"On the population side of the equation, we are putting in place policies to ease the population pressures on our big capitals of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane," Mr Tudge is expected to say.

"These cities have been growing very fast by historic and international standards and account for 75 per cent of Australia's population growth in recent years.

"Our population plan consists of reducing the migration rate (which constitutes 60 per cent of Australia's population growth) and encouraging more new arrivals to our smaller cities and regions, which are crying out for more people."

"Congestion affects us all in one way or another. For those who face traffic every day, it takes valuable time away that could be spent with family and friends, or at work.

"To businesses reliant on getting across cities rapidly, it is an added cost."

TUDGE'S INFRASTRUCTURE LIST:

* Melbourne to Brisbane inland rail by 2025 - $9.3 billion

* $25 billion committed to Queensland infrastructure since 2013

* $1.8 billion for M1 Pacific Motorway

* $10 billion for Bruce Highway improvements

* $888 million towards upgrades of the Warrego Highway Corridor between Ipswich and Roma

* $593 million committed across 30 Urban Congestion Fund projects including tackling pinchpoints like Gympie Arterial Road and funding commuter car parks at Beenleigh, Ferny Grove and Mango Hill Stations.

* $112 million towards Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3A, involving the extension from Broadbeach South to Burleigh Heads

* $390 million to deliver the Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade.

Others:

State Government's Cross River Rail

Brisbane City Council's Metro