Cross River Rail Project

[ozbob]

 

[Stillwater]

Ms Trad, ask yourself why Queensland super funds are investing in big infrastructure projects in London and Melbourne.  It is because the business planning and investment packages have not been prepared for market for projects such as CRR.  This government is too busy shadow boxing with Canberra for political purposes than it is in devoting the hard yards to the business of state government that has the PEOPLE, not the government, as its focus.

Ms Trad:

"I'll also be promoting Queensland's growing expertise in a growing range of sectors – from Fintech to the smart cities sector."

Queensland is a world leader in Smart Cities? 

"I will also be meeting with senior business leaders to discuss the longer term opportunities for Queensland businesses in the United Kingdom following Brexit."

Isn't that the job of Queensland's Agent-General, based in London?

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2016/7/3/agent-general-appointment-extended-for-12-months

http://www.tiq.qld.gov.au/connect/who-we-are/international-representation/europe

[#Metro]

Jackie Trad just wanted to go to London.

NEW ZEALAND (3.4% trade share) is a larger trading partner than the UK (3%). China is the largest (23%).

http://dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/trade-investment/australias-trade-in-goods-and-services/Pages/australias-trade-in-goods-and-services-2013-14.aspx

The further away a country is, the more $ it costs to transport things. Thus most trading partners are close.

Australia's trade in goods and services 2013-14 (DFAT)
1   China   
2   Japan   
3   United States   
4   Republic of Korea   
5   Singapore   
6   New Zealand   
7   United Kingdom   
8   Malaysia   
9   Thailand   
10   Germany

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Brisbane cross river rail seeks overseas cash

OVERSEAS investors have expressed strong interest in helping fund the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail project.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad is on a trade mission to Europe and the Middle East and a focus of the trip includes trying to encourage investment in the key Brisbane infrastructure project.

Ms Trad said banks, institutional investors and pension funds from the UK were impressed with the project's land development opportunities.

"The (level of) interest is incredibly high," she said from Paris yesterday.

"A very wide variety of financial institutions are interested and also pension funds."

Ms Trad also discussed how "City Deals" has worked in the UK, which involves getting different levels of government and the private sector together to capture future profits from major infrastructure projects.

She said Queensland opportunities were better placed than other infrastructure projects such as Crossrail in London because of the amount of state-owned land available for redevelopment ideas.

"We are in such a prime position in terms of Cross River Rail because the Government does have such significant land holdings along the corridor (and) that we can ... move reasonably quickly catalysing the significant brownfield sites," Ms Trad said.

"There's all the land around the stations around Dutton Park, main rail yards are another example, Roma St as well and (the Go Print site) at Woolloongabba is going to be a significant site."

Cross River Rail will link Bowen Hills and Dutton Park through 10.2km of new track – including a 5.9km tunnel underneath the Brisbane River and CBD.

"We see Cross River Rail as the infrastructure project that will unlock heavy rail constraints but (also) improve commuter movement astronomically throughout the region and provide significant opportunities for urban redevelopment of some really key brownfield sites," Ms Trad said.

The State Government has contributed $800 million.

[ozbob]

[ This discussion thread is now on page 109!  #justsaying ]

[#Metro]

Ms Trad said banks, institutional investors and pension funds from the UK were impressed with the project's land development opportunities.

"The (level of) interest is incredibly high," she said from Paris yesterday.

"A very wide variety of financial institutions are interested and also pension funds."

This is such rubbish and pure speculation. A few people probably had coffee with her and said "that's a nice idea" and suddenly it is media release fodder.

Private sector development around CRR stations would be lucky to generate 5% of the total value of CRR. The CRR itself is financially unprofitable. The development would mainly be limited to Woolloongabba and perhaps Park Road station.

Far more $$ would be generated by introducing TOD zoning around all of the 80+ train stations within the BCC area and fixing up the land tax arrangements so that the gov could capture the amenity from that. Indeed, land tax reform provides a third alternative to borrow / sell or lease options.

[ozbob]

No changes on the CRR web site http://www.crossriverrail.qld.gov.au/

Last community newsletter was April 2016, five months or so ago.

I wonder if we will get a new newsletter highlighting  in Paris and London?



Footnote:

I have just had this brainwave  .  The State could set up a lottery.  Bit like the old Golden Casket. The Casket was used to fund health and other things.  The Royal Women's Hospital was constructed (1938) and equipped entirely with funds from the Casket .  I remember buying Casket tickets when I first arrived in Brisbane (late 60s).  Might be able to raise some $$$$. 

[Stillwater]

What's silly about the Trad trip is not so much that she is on it, but the self-generated publicity to justify taxpayers having to fork out for the extravaganza.  The self-blown rhetoric is just a bit too much.  It would be good to see a media statement from a big-wig investment banker saying "today I met Ms Trad and, upon her advice, I will be flying to Brisbane next month to explore infrastructure projects my company could fund."

Stripped to the basics, Ms Trad has shoved aside the Queensland Agent-General, whose job it is to do these things, and  is in Britain to convince British pension funds to invest in CRR solutions (sounds like a few more versions on the cards ... showing blocks of flats on top, casinos or stadia) while our own investment agencies (QIC etc) put their money in the Port of Melbourne and projects interstate.  They won't invest here.

What does that tell us?  Ms Trad would inform us better if she advised us about the interest she was generating and the results of her work.  Instead, she is telling us that she had a cup of tea here, coffee there and spruiked up Queensland to this audience or at this dinner.  So what.

[kram0]

Nothing more than a tax payer business class holiday to London for Trad. A waste of the limited cash QLD has.

[ozbob]

TOD discussions moved to > http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1451.msg180547#msg180547

[Stillwater]

Oh Deputy Premier where have you been?
I've been to London to see the Queen.
Deputy Premier, what did you do there?
I sought some finance to advance Queensland fair.

With the Agent-General I did sup,
But Mr Smith knew not what was up,
So I embarked on a tour, the state to sell
Not literally, mark you, for that would be hell.

No assets to peddle, I rattled the tin,
SHOW US THE MONEY I said above the din
Of trains and buses working in syncronicity.
How they do that to me is a mystery.

London's West End held a special allure,
Where I sought the company of entrepreneurs bijou.
The Square Mile was all leather and cigars, so refined
Some ideas for my new office I did find.

I stood atop Big Ben and did shout afar
SHOW US THE MONEY at the passing cars
I travelled by Chunnel, the French to see
Then off to the Gulf where the Arabs hailed me.

I marvelled the work of Mr Eifel's tower,
climbed to the tip where I felt the power
Of a city well-planned, everything in order.
Then reflected on my home, and its cursed transporter.

Under the sea by train I had come,
yet Cross River Rail remains a conundrum.
It cannot be achieved without lots of dosh,
Just how much, unimportant; so much tosh.

I strolled the Champs Elyees, my arms extended,
Queensand's Evita, my time I expended
popping in to see Louis and Hermes, of course
Then on to Dior and Chanel, more discourse.

In Dubai, my Khemlani would I discover?
The Mall of the Emirates was a good place to recover
From the exhaustion of a world stage to strut
And thoughts of leadership and coups, tut tut.

Now home to Brisbane I am bound,
Better pen a press release detailing what I've found.
Lots of hope and ambition still for Cross River Rail,
This latest foray I pray will not fail.

[ozbob]

[#Metro]

Maybe Her Majesty will fund Cross River Rail, that's how ridiculous this debate is becoming.

[ozbob]

 

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Brisbane Cross-river rail already off track with delivery authority not yet set up

THE Palaszczuk Government has failed to get the Cross River Rail delivery authority to run on time.

A leaked copy of the $5.4 billion project's business case has revealed the new statutory body, which was announced in April, should have started this month.

However, legislation to establish the delivery authority has not been introduced and is likely to take months to pass through Parliament.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad yesterday insisted Cross River Rail was on track, with a dedicated technical team working within her department and legislation to establish the delivery authority being finalised.

"In less than 18 months, the Palaszczuk Government has rescoped the $5.4 billion project and published the new alignment,' she said.

"The business case is complete and has been submitted to both Infrastructure Australia and the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development for the Turnbull Government's consideration.

However Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has again refused to open the coffers despite hailing yesterday's historic opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line as a triumph of federal and state government co-operation.

The $1 billion, 12.6km dual track passenger line, which takes its first paying passengers today, was officially opened yesterday in front of a crowd of several thousand – 131 years after it was proposed.

The largest infrastructure project Queensland has seen in a decade, it includes new stations at Kallangur, Murrumba Downs, Mango Hill, Mango Hill East, Rothwell, and Kippa-Ring and transforms the southeast's transport landscape.

Thousands of cars will be removed from suburban roads and the Bruce Highway while Peninsula commuters will enjoy rapid access to Brisbane.

Mr Turnbull, who boarded the first train with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, former Labor deputy prime minister Wayne Swan, former Labor federal transport minister Anthony Albanese and Queensland Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe was in a bipartisan mood at the opening ceremony.

He praised both tiers and sides of government for their co-operative approach in getting the line built, an effort dating back to Mr Swan's $740 million allocation in his 2010 federal Budget.

"Levels of government have been a bit like ships passing in the night,'' he said. "It's great there has been such bipartisan support.''

While both Mr Swan and Mr Hinchliffe say the new cross river rail project is a pivotal aspect of the transport infrastructure plan, Mr Turnbull has refused to unlock vital federal funds to get it started.

The proposed 10km cross river rail involves construction of a 5.4km tunnel under the Brisbane River and Brisbane central business district as well as five new inner city station precincts.

Mr Turnbull said his Government had received project plans but there was "a lot of work to be done''.

"I am an unadulterated, passionate supporter of public transport and a frequent user of it,'' Mr Turnbull said. "But you got have got to do your homework carefully."

[Stillwater]

So, had the PM handed a cheque for $1b to Anna Palaszczuk yesterday for Cross River Rail, the money could not be spent because the 'delivery authority' that would oversee its construction doesn't even exist.  The legislation that would bring it into existence is still being drafted.  Finalisation of private sector involvement is way off.  Ms Trad is still in the SHOW US THE MONEY mode, while the fundamentals are not in place.  The political game continues.   

[ozbob]

http://www.timnicholls.com.au/labor-falls-first-hurdle-key-infrastructure-project/

Labor falls at first hurdle on its 'key' infrastructure project

Opposition Media Releases Oct 10, 2016


    Palaszczuk Government can't even create the bureaucracy it promised to deliver Cross River Rail
    Failure on CRR delivery authority highlights lack of commitment from Jackie Trad   
    Yet another Cross River Rail fail shows Labor total incompetence in delivering key infrastructure

The Palaszczuk Government is heading towards another 'cross river 'fail' by missing the first key deadline for its supposed priority infrastructure project.

Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Infrastructure Minister Deb Frecklington said Labor's failure to establish a delivery authority by the target date has raised questions over their commitment to deliver Labor's 'biggest infrastructure priority'.

"Labor's own secret business case for Cross River Rail lays out a timeline that recommends the delivery authority to be established by October 2016," Ms Frecklington said.

"Considering the minority Palaszczuk Government need to pass legislation through Parliament before this authority can be set up, it raises serious doubt over Labor's promise to build Cross River Rail.

"What's caused the delay? Maybe 'not happy Jackie' can't get the legislation through Labor's divided Cabinet after taking control over from Transport Minister and faction rival Stirling Hinchliffe."

Ms Frecklington said Labor has set Cross River Rail on a path to derail following a series of fails, which has put a cloud over the future over the project.

"The Palaszczuk Government has bungled Cross River Rail from the start by picking fights with different the Federal Government and Brisbane City Council over funding, while keeping the door open for $5 Billion worth of secret taxes," she said.

"How will this Government deliver the infrastructure Queensland needs when they can't even get the pre-construction basics right?"

"Labor always wants to make Queenslanders pay for its fiscal incompetence and we're seeing again with Cross River Rail.

"Labor's public transport legacy is chaos and failure and unfortunately it's always Queensland commuters who ultimately lose out.

"Under Labor, this project has become Cross River Fail."

Labor's Cross River Fails:

    Six secret taxes proposed to fill Labor's funding black hole.
    Trains and other project costs not included in business case affordability assessment
    Business case not publicly released
    Publicly released benefit-cost ratio didn't factor in the European train control system so benefits of project were significantly over stated
    Inability to agree to funding arrangements with Federal Government or Brisbane City Council
    Albert Street station subject to potential flooding
    Actual project costs exceed $15 billion not the $5.4 billion quoted by 'not happy Jackie'

[Derwan]

We're listing CRR "fails" now?  Should we start listing the LNP's fails?   

I take it by this - that the LNP now actually supports Cross River Rail?

[ozbob]

.@jackietrad insists work to establish Cross River Rail's delivery authority moving forward https://t.co/PBt6yzitD9 #qldpol pic.twitter.com/bwRBrmf62l

— ABC News Brisbane (@ABCNewsBrisbane) October 4, 2016

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Cross River Rail: Jackie Trad insists work to establish project's delivery authority moving forward

Queensland's Deputy Premier has insisted the creation of a proposed delivery authority for Brisbane's Cross River Rail project is on track.

The independent body will provide advice about the best way to fund the $5.4 billion project.

The Opposition says the Palaszczuk Government has missed its own October deadline to establish the authority.

But Jackie Trad said legislation to set it up would be introduced to Parliament soon.

"I'm saying it will be progressed as per our plan and that is a delivery authority established internally until the legislation goes through the parliament and goes through the parliamentary committee process," Ms Trad said.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the business plan for Cross River Rail was being assessed by Infrastructure Australia.

"There's a lot of work to be done on it," Mr Turnbull said yesterday.

"In particular the State Government and the City Council have to [agree] on the project design."

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Annastacia Palaszczuk defends cross river rail hiccup

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has played down a delay in setting up a delivery authority for Brisbane's crucial $5.4 billion Cross River Rail project.

The opposition on Tuesday attacked Labor for failing to meet the October deadline to set up the body, which was recommended in its as-yet unreleased business case.

Deputy LNP leader Deb Frecklington questioned what was behind the delay.

"Considering the minority Palaszczuk government need to pass legislation through Parliament before this authority can be set up, it raises serious doubt over Labor's promise to build Cross River Rail," she said.

Ms Palaszczuk said she wasn't disappointed.

"The deputy premier is working on that extensively," Ms Palaszczuk said in Townsville.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad told the ABC a bill to set up the authority would be introduced soon.

"It will be progressed as per our plan," she said.

"That is, a delivery authority established internally until the legislation goes through the parliament and goes through the parliamentary committee process."

Ms Palaszczuk again called for co-operation from the federal government and said the Moreton Bay rail link, which was opened on Monday, was a good example of what could be achieved when all tiers of government worked together.

"That was an investment of local, state and federal working together to develop that $1.2 billion worth of infrastructure," she said.

"Now what we need is the same level of co-operation to make the Cross River Rail a reality.

"We have already set aside our $800 million."

The Premier also accused the opposition of playing politics with the issue, given former transport minister Scott Emerson had once written to the federal government and committed funds to the project but currently opposes it.

"The Cross River Cail project is too big a deal to play politics about because in the south-east it means thousands of jobs," Ms Palaszczuk said.

AAP

[ozbob]

Quite a saga is it not?

[Stillwater]

  work to establish Cross River Rail's delivery authority moving forward (says Ms Trad).  Just like work on a railway line to the Redcliffe Peninsula moved forward over 131 years.

No work has been done on the funding model, apart from identifying possibilities.

What was Ms Trad doing in Europe?  What was she saying?  "Please, give us money ......"  She would have had no financial blueprint.  She would not have known how much is on the table from the feds, or from the developers who might want to built stuff on top of the stations ... no firm BCR, because the whole package, that would have been put together by the 'delivery authority' was not in place.

She states that 'technical people' are onto it, and that is true ... the engineers and so forth.  But what is needed for CRR are merchant bankers, financiers ... and they haven't been hired yet.  The legislation to create the entity for which they will work has yet to pass the Parliament ... there is no entity, there are no desks or computers or people to man them.

Ms Trad must have had a deprived childhood .... she didn't read, or did not have read to her, the story of the Emperor With No Clothes.  On this one, politically, she's bare arsed.

[#Metro]

Blowtorch needs to be put on Tim Nicholls. He's throwing stones but lives in a glass house with his policy vacuum.

Honestly, can anyone here name ANY of his policies relating to CRR?

I fully expect CRR3 to be ripped up and start again with a new incoming gov't. Not long now I guess!

[kram0]

Blowtorch needs to be put on Tim Nicholls. He's throwing stones but lives in a glass house with his policy vacuum.

Honestly, can anyone here name ANY of his policies relating to CRR?

I fully expect CRR3 to be ripped up and start again with a new incoming gov't. Not long now I guess!

I agree, while I generally vote LNP, this guy is doing nothing but criticising and providing no alternative options or plans or methods for funding. The people do not benefit from these stupid political games!!

[Stillwater]

CRR plans will be ripped up unless the legislation establishing the delivery authority is passed.  LNP will say something along the lines of the delivery authority is nothing but 'passing the buck .... it needs direct ministerial control' etc.  The delivery authority is an attempt to take the politics out of this, but clearly Trad doesn't want to surrender the controls.  She wants the authority as a puppet, to say when things go wrong .... 'well the authority did that' etc.  It is the usual Queensland bunfight.

[achiruel]

I wouldn't mind if CRR3 was ripped up. We need to go back to CRR1 and do it right. Pity the Blue Team sold off all the properties around Yeerongpilly etc that were required to make it happen. Severe case of myopia on their part.

[tazzer9]

CRRv4 should be CRRv1 but the tunnel going all the way to salisbury.  Make stub tunnels going towards acacia ridge for the future beaudesert line.

[ozbob]

Palaszczuk committed to Cross River Rail. Full story from @4BCNews https://t.co/SV1nYN5vUm pic.twitter.com/rxRHVYA2g7

— News Talk 4BC 1116 (@NewsTalk4BC) October 4, 2016

[STB]

I think governments shouldn't call it a 'commitment' until there is actual money on the table to build it!

[#Metro]

A politician's commitment isn't worth anything.

It is not a physical asset - it cannot be seized.
It is not a contract - it cannot be sued for.

The worst thing is that you are voted out of office - but have you seen the competition? LOL.

$800 million just shows the QLD Gov't is not serious. A fair amount would be:

Queensland Government - $2.7 billion

Federal Government - $1.8 billion

Brisbane City Council - $0.9 billion

[ozbob]

 

Flying dragons albiet, friendly ones, are far more likely than CRR #31

[Stillwater]

Ms Trad must be annoying her ministerial colleagues (Lynham, Hinchliffe etc) by 'calling in' projects that normally would be within their ministerial portfolios.  She has a lot on her plate, but constantly becomes distracted by the politics, failing to do the essential groundwork - the nuts and bolts stuff that gets things moving.  Failure to get the CRR Delivery Authority up and running, according to her own government's timetable, is a case in point.  This is especially the case when the Queensland Government harps on about the need for the federal government to make up its mind about funding and points at the crucial building phase before real congestion problems come about in 2021.  Remember when the CRR business case was ready a day or two before the federal election and Ms Trad wanted an overnight decision?  All farcical politics and theatre.

Annastacia Palaszczuk has had to go into bat for Ms Trad after the Opposition scored a hit about the failure to get the delivery authority in place.  There is no administrative mechanism for the project to happen, even if there was money available tomorrow.  Minister Trad talks about a 'team', but that is the technical side.  This project lives or dies on the finances and the deals that can be done with the private sector - concrete deals.  When the premier states publicly that "the Deputy Premier is working extensively to get a delivery authority up and running", that is a defensive statement and a code instruction to Trad to "start working extensively, because this is not a good look."

As to financing, it is more likely to be $800 from Queensland, $1 billion from the feds, $1 billion from the sovereign wealth funds of a foreign country (or the China South-East Asia Development Bank) and the rest from Private Enterprise in exchange for development rights above stations or along the route.  Forget BCC putting in funds, and it could be a stumbling block if it starts arguing about development approvals and designs etc.

We need to see the legislation ... the development authority might have powers to approve development that overrides the town planning regs of BCC.  That should be fun.

And we will have some "betterment tax" -- a means of skimming off for state coffers (not the council's) the wealth increase generated by the CRR project.  The council will get its rates money.

But all of this doesn't matter until the fundamentals are in place.  The delivery authority is crucial to that.  At every stage in this process, the Queensland Government has dragged the chain.  Other states beat us to the punch (for example, Victoria) and always place themselves in the box seat to get whatever feds funding is available.  Their planning is vastly superior.

Because of that, Queensland resorts to the political pressure game and presents as amateurish.

On a related topic, here is a story that exposes the foolishness of the state government in playing the politics re infrastructure funding for Queensland:

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/comment/snail-mail-about-those-infrastructure-delays-state-main-roads-minister-mark-bailey-20161004-gruxqs.html

[#Metro]

I think they are doing too much. The pressure with gov't is to try and intervene in everything, and so the remit becomes massive and impossible to handle properly. Add to this 3-year terms, interest groups, 24/7 media cycle, marginal seats - it is an absolute nightmare.

You could take anyone on this forum and put them in that kind of environment and they would struggle just the same.

It is a miracle and credit to the public servants that the wheels do not fall off.

Remember when Jackie Trad had a different portfolio responsibility for each day of the week? Ridiculous.

Private enterprise is being portrayed as some kind of magic pudding. It is nothing of the kind. The number of stations is small, so it would be surprising if any more than say 5% of the total cost were funded this way. Overseas investors are not interested unless there is some profit for them - it's just debt borrowing really, and likely to be more expensive.

We already have a betterment tax of sorts - land tax on investment and business property plus council rates. These capture value uplifts. It's why BCC should contribute - BCC will be the one collecting $$.

I don't think the planning is necessarily better in Victoria.

The thing about Victoria is in the 1990s their State Bank of Victoria collapsed due to bad loans, putting a massive hole in the budget. It demonstrated that profits are not guaranteed and that all businesses carry risk of collapse, yes even the gov't owned ones.

Kennett came in, sold everything that wasn't bolted to the floor. That set the precedent. It is the Andrews Labor Gov't that is going around privatising things to pay for Melbourne Metro and 50 level crossing upgrades. They are happy to do it because the precedent has already been set for them.

(It is worth pointing out here that selling an asset is being done so that a new asset can be bought. People are missing that last step).

It is the opposite in Queensland. Rather than promise to do things, we have promises NOT to do things.

The only thing I can think of that would upset the system would be if coal/LNG royalties were to suddenly collapse and fall, precipitating a (real) budget crisis.

[STB]

The only thing I can think of that would upset the system would be if coal/LNG royalties were to suddenly collapse and fall, precipitating a (real) budget crisis.

I wouldn't be surprised if that happens sooner than later.  Queensland does need to diversify it's revenue streams, but also needs to be a bit more gutsy and try out new things and be willing to borrow when it's required.  The population also needs to learn that protectionism isn't always a good thing - something quite noticeable in Queensland compared to other states.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> PM Malcolm Turnbull: We will support infrastructure whether it is road or rail

THE Cross River Rail project will not take another 100 years to build but it won't start until the Federal Government is certain it stacks up as an integrated transport project, according to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Mr Turnbull, speaking on the ABC this morning, said differences between the Brisbane City Council and the State Government on the shape of the project had to be ironed out before the Commonwealth could unlock funding.

"It is important for us to understand how it is going to work as part of an integrated transport solution,'' Mr Turnbull said.

"Brisbane has a very powerful city council, city government, and it has enormous transport responsibilities.''

Mr Turnbull said the Cross River Rail had to be assessed from a variety of perspectives, even down to impacts on house prices.

He admitted he was at odds with former Prime Minister Tony Abbott over the Commonwealth's approach to funding transport infrastructure.

Mr Abbott removed funding from the 2014 Federal Budget for the Cross River Rail project because he was not as supportive of funding towards transport infrastructure.

"That has changed,'' Mr Turnbull said.

"The Turnbull Government's view is that we will support infrastructure whether it is road or rail....''

Mr Turnbull said the project would definitely not take another 100 years to finalise, unlike the Redcliffe rail Line which took more than 130 years to build after first being proposed.

Mr Turnbull said he was a businessman who had come into politics at age 50 and wanted to see money spent on workable transport solutions.

"I am an activist,'' he said.

Absolute circus!  Cross River Rail was IA's top project before politics rooted it.

It is just more politics from all sides now.  Nothing will get built.  Brisbane is pretty much stuffed for the future.

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Federal money spent on Queensland transport raising eyebrows in other states, Malcolm Turnbull warns

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said other states are complaining about Queensland's share of federal revenue, as the Sunshine State puts pressure on the Federal Government to contribute more towards roads and rail.

Mr Turnbull said Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk should accept a 50-50 funding deal for upgrades of the M1 motorway, not an 80-20 split.

"The State Government is all too ready to retreat from its own responsibilities and put them at the door of the Federal Government," Mr Turnbull said.

    "Other states have complained that we're spending too much in Queensland, to be frank."

The Commonwealth has offered $215 million for two projects on the M1, but the state wants $344 million.

Queensland also wants Canberra to provide at least $800 million for Brisbane's $5.4 billion Cross River Rail plan.

The Prime Minister said Infrastructure Australia's assessment of the business case for the rail project would include social considerations.

"You satisfy that it improves the amenity and liveability — the opportunities for the people who live in Brisbane — and then you can make a decision as to how it's going to be funded," he said.

But he said that unlike his predecessor Tony Abbott, he was committed to funding public transport.

"Tony Abbott had many qualities as Prime Minister, many achievements. He did not believe the federal government should fund public transport infrastructure in cities," Mr Turnbull said.

"That has changed. I do.

"That was his view. The Turnbull Government's view is that we will support infrastructure, whether it's roads or rail or light rail, depending on its merits."

Mr Turnbull told 612 ABC Brisbane he wanted a decision on Cross River Rail as soon as possible.

"I'm a businessman who's come into politics at the age of 50. All my life I've got on and done things. I'm an activist," he said.

"I'm an activist for your listeners and all Australians."

Topics: government-and-politics, states-and-territories, road-transport, qld

[Stillwater]

PM seems to be hinting that, like Gold Coast CC and light rail and like Redcliffe Peninsula line and the Moreton Bay Regional Council, the appropriate local authority, in this case BCC, should be contributing to CRR.  I want to have the popcorn selling franchise at that bunfight.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> PM Malcolm Turnbull: We will support infrastructure whether it is road or rail

THE Cross River Rail project will not take another 100 years to build but it won't start until the Federal Government is certain it stacks up as an integrated transport project, according to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Mr Turnbull, speaking on the ABC this morning, said differences between the Brisbane City Council and the State Government on the shape of the project had to be ironed out before the Commonwealth could unlock funding.

"It is important for us to understand how it is going to work as part of an integrated transport solution,'' Mr Turnbull said.

"Brisbane has a very powerful city council, city government, and it has enormous transport responsibilities.''

Mr Turnbull said the Cross River Rail had to be assessed from a variety of perspectives, even down to impacts on house prices.

He admitted he was at odds with former Prime Minister Tony Abbott over the Commonwealth's approach to funding transport infrastructure.

Mr Abbott removed funding from the 2014 Federal Budget for the Cross River Rail project because he was not as supportive of funding towards transport infrastructure.

"That has changed,'' Mr Turnbull said.

"The Turnbull Government's view is that we will support infrastructure whether it is road or rail....''

Mr Turnbull said the project would definitely not take another 100 years to finalise, unlike the Redcliffe rail Line which took more than 130 years to build after first being proposed.

Mr Turnbull said he was a businessman who had come into politics at age 50 and wanted to see money spent on workable transport solutions.

"I am an activist,'' he said.

Updated with:

QUEENSLAND Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has accused Malcolm Turnbull of not understanding the state's proposed $5.4 billion Cross River Rail project.

The prime minister today said the federal government wouldn't agree to funding the construction of the tunnel until flow-on benefits to things like housing affordability were made clear.

"The important thing is to make sure we maximise the livability bang for the taxpayer buck," Mr Turnbull told ABC radio this morning.

"What we are not going to do is throw around numbers like they are telephone numbers."

But Ms Palaszczuk said the prime minister failed to understand the economic potential of the 10.2km link project.

"What we have seen is a prime minister that really does not understand the key projects of this state and I will continue to fight hard for Queensland jobs and Queensland projects,' she told reporters in north Queensland.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said the project would allow the government to build more social housing.

"The Cross River Rail project will open up significant amounts of under-utilised state government land for urban regeneration purposes, now that could, or should, include social housing,' she said.

"Queensland is forging ahead in terms of ensuring cross river rail is not only a public transport solution for the whole of the southeast Queensland network but is an economic development opportunity for our whole state."

The state government is also under fire from the Liberal National Party opposition after it was revealed it had missed a deadline to set up the authority to deliver the tunnel.

[Stillwater]

Blocks of flats built on top of CRR stations won't be occupied by pensioners and the homeless.  Tell them they're dreaming.