Cross River Rail Project

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Former transport minister Paul Lucas gets key Cross River Rail job

Former Bligh government minister Paul Lucas has been handed a job overseeing the delivery of Labor's Cross River Rail project in Brisbane.

Mr Lucas, a former transport minister and deputy premier, will on Monday be announced as the deputy chair of the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority Board.

Mr Lucas retired from politics at the 2012 state election and more recently has been running his own consulting firm and working as the non-executive director of Powerlink Queensland.

Frankie Carroll, the director general of the Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, will chair the board, in addition to continuing in his present role.

His department is charged with administering the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority Act 2016.

The board is designed to act as an independent, commercially focused statutory body to lead the development, procurement and delivery of Cross River Rail and "drive urban renewal" within the economic and development corridor.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said the board had a mix of skills and experience from across the nation and the knowledge and drive to deliver Cross River Rail.

"[Mr Carroll's] infrastructure experience spans water, construction and energy and he already has a thorough understanding of Cross River Rail, which is essential for this role," Ms Trad said.

Also on the board will be Infrastructure Association of Queensland co-founder Lucy Snelling, current NSW chief scientist and engineer Mary O'Kane and NRL Sydney Roosters executive John Lee.

The Commonwealth Games representative is Mike Mrdak, secretary of the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, and a Brisbane City Council nominee may be added.

Ms Trad said Cross River Rail would remove a bottleneck across the Brisbane River and free up the transport network across south-east Queensland.

"Cross River Rail will provide better connections across the region, getting commuters home faster and creating thousands of jobs," Ms Trad said.

[ozbob]

I will just leave this here ... 

How ironic.
Former Transport, Planning and Infrastructure Minister and Deputy Premier, Paul Lucas, reportedly has been appointed by Jackie Trad to the CRR Delivery Authority team.  Paul Lucas was the man who first announced CRR about 10 years ago.  He also promised SCL duplication and CAMCOS rail to Maroochydore and that hasn't happened.  Will CRR be an illusion too?

[verbatim9]

One would think out of the whole talent pool with in Australia, some new blood would be good for the position?

[ozbob]

[Stillwater]

"The board is designed to act as an independent, commercially focused statutory body to lead the development, procurement and delivery of Cross River Rail and "drive urban renewal" within the economic and development corridor."

They are all dynamic agents of change that get things done, according to the pollies ... those state government authorities/ committees/ agencies.

Citytrain Response Unit, TransLink, etc

[achiruel]

I don't think the lack of progress on CRR can necessarily be directed at any particular TM (Labor ones, at least) - it's been more a treasury decision (lack of funds) that a transport portfolio failure.

The exception of course is Scott Emerson, who actively derailed (pun intended) with all kinds of hare-brained ideas like the "Cleveland Solution"

I believe this is largely because the LNP (in Queensland, at least) are ideologically opposed to public transport because it is a public good and they prefer private good at public expense.

[#Metro]

There isn't a shortage of funds - just a shortage of courage to unlock the said funds from asset sales, leases, borrowings or taxes.

The Cleveland Solution was a Lord Mayoral brain fart. Since Schrinner took over and BCC got hit over the head with the mathematical reality of Brisbane Metro MkI things are looking up.

The thing about blue team is they forget the word PUBLIC appears in front of the word "roads" too.

[Cazza]

I think the jokes a bit old now...

https://translink.com.au/about-translink/projects-and-initiatives

[Stillwater]

Tonight's ABC television news carried a lead item highlighting the row between Queensland and the Commonwealth over access to federal disaster relief funds to repair damage caused by Cyclone Debbie.  Barnaby Joyce showed the 2-page letter from Anna Palaszczuk, essentially saying 'can we please have some money' and the 45-page submission from the NSW Government - in the format required by the Commonwealth before it releases funds.  NSW has got its money and Queensland is crying foul because it hasn't.

Again.  Queensland misses out on large sums of federal money because it just shouts SHOW US THE MONEY without doing what's required.  The state should get its act together and comply with the guidelines. 

Had Qld handled the CRR issue better (LNP and ALP both), it would have its federal money for the project by now.

A frustrated Barnaby Joyce is threatening to send Commonwealth bureaucrats to Queensland to show officials in this state how to fill out a form properly.   

[#Metro]

Doesn't the Queensland Government know how to fill out a form?  *Boom* *Tish*

[Stillwater]

From a Courier-Mail story about the flood funding fiasco, quoting she of SHOW US THE MONEY fame:

"As business cases for funding for some council areas are now being sent to Canberra after a three-page letter on Monday was denied, Ms Trad said Mr Joyce had initially assured the Premier the money would flow if she wrote to him requesting it.

"But he said Canberra couldn't 'throw money out the door' without the appropriate application form and federal bureaucrats would work over Easter to process it."

When will the state learn that for any money to flow from Canberra, a cogent business case is required?

Queensland seems to take the stance that there is a big pile of money kept in Canberra that is Queensland's money and all that is required to access it is a withdrawal slip.

If you belong to a community or sporting group trying to get $20,000 from the state government for sports equipment or a new clubhouse, you have to jump through a lot of hoops to get it.

Why does Queensland think it is exempt from the same sort of fiscal accountability when it wants hundreds of millions of dollars from Canberra for flood relief or a new bit of infrastructure?

By not taking the business case process seriously, the Queensland Government does a great disservice to Queenslanders and money that reasonably could be expected to flow to this state goes to those states that take the process seriously and put in superior funding applications.

Queensland then reverts to the political fix, bluster and stunts to disguise its own lack of diligence.

[kram0]

What do we expect with such an incompetent government, and the submission for federal funds for flood relief demonstrates that.

[Stillwater]

"The MoU sets out the agreed roles and responsibilities of both governments."

http://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/pf/releases/2016/December/pf084_2016.aspx

Is it possible to see the federal-state MOU on CRR?  Or is it Commercial-in-Confidence?

[ozbob]

From the team at Cross River Rail, we would like to wish you all a Happy Easter #crossriverail pic.twitter.com/yfIZi6I5yN

— CrossRiverRail (@CrossRiverRail) April 15, 2017

[#Metro]

Rabbits have made more progress on digging holes than Annastacia has

[Stillwater]

Really?  From the team that hasn't delivered anything.

[#Metro]

Cross River Rail has major financial backing from two new investors

Easter Bunny Investments LLC
and Magical Tooh-Fairy Private Capital Ltd.

There is some public investment too from the Queensland Government Never-Never Super Fund.

Exciting hey?

[ozbob]

Planning holidays? #CrossRiverRail will transform public transport in our region and make it easier for you to get where you want to be. pic.twitter.com/hjXSAe5ayZ

— CrossRiverRail (@CrossRiverRail) April 21, 2017

[ozbob]

 

[ozbob]

Planning a weekend? #CrossRiverRail will transform South East Queensland's transport systems and make it easier to get where you're going. pic.twitter.com/u2lb658IvX

— CrossRiverRail (@CrossRiverRail) April 22, 2017

[ozbob]

[Stillwater]

An $800m state government contribution to CRR buys an awful lot of social media spin.  This is going to be a 'virtual reality' transport project that will be promoted heavily in the lead-up to the next state election.

[ozbob]

^ yo.  The push is on ...

the CRR twitter feed has some good information > https://twitter.com/CrossRiverRail

I hope we get new vid!   

(Please use good music!)

This tweet  is a beauty  ... (press the play button)   

#CrossRiverRail is a once-in-a-generation city changing project, providing easier access to health and entertainment facilities. pic.twitter.com/o3yKJ7DJjt

— CrossRiverRail (@CrossRiverRail) April 20, 2017

[Stillwater]

This Utopia must be in an alternative universe that exists largely in the minds of senior politicians and bureaucrats.  It is self-delusion big time.

[Stillwater]

Hints of Cross River Rail funding in federal Budget (with caveats).

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/cross-river-rail-and-inland-rail-project-to-get-funds-in-federal-budget-20170427-gvu5ep.html

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Cross River Rail and Inland Rail project to get funds in federal budget

Both Brisbane's proposed underground rail project – the Cross River Rail – and the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail project will receive funding in the May 9 federal budget, according to comments made by Treasurer Scott Morrison in Canberra on Thursday.

Mr Morrison explained measures in the Budget to separate borrowing for uneconomic reasons – ie "bad debt" - from borrowing for infrastructure and energy projects – ie "good debt".

Mr Turnbull said it was up to the Queensland government to prove investing in its proposed underground rail project – Cross River Rail – would be "good debt".

"In particular, it is very important that the state government as the proponent – as the builder of the project – does everything it can to maximise its ability to capture value from increases in property value from this particular project," he said.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said Cross River Rail would generate $70 billion over 40 years.

"Cross River Rail will be an economic asset that will generate thousands of jobs and deliver the government a long term return," Ms Trad said.

"We know that Cross River Rail has the potential to inject $70 billion to our economy over 40 years and create more than 85,000 jobs along the innovation and economic development corridor," she said.

"We have been working closely with Federal officials and providing funding and financial information for a number of months."

The federal government in November provided $10 million to allow planning to merge the underground Cross River Rail project, with Brisbane City Council's revamped Metro project, with its long-length buses.

Privately several federal government ministers back the project.

Mr Turnbull said Queenslanders who could benefit from the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail needed to wait until the Budget on May 9.

"Inland Rail is a very high priority," Mr Turnbull said in Brisbane today.

"Wait till the budget, wait till the budget, he said.

"But yes, it is a very high priority, so you can join the dots."

In Queensland this Inland Rail project runs from Inglewood, to Oakey, to Toowoomba, then east towards the Port of Brisbane, mainly on new rail track.

Already $300 million has been spent in the planning phase of a 1700 kilometre multi-billion project that will take 10 years to complete.

Mr Turnbull said Mr Morrison was re-structuring Australia's federal budget to make clearer which was "bad debt" – ie borrowing for government spending needed year after year after year and "good debt" when the funds were used to build an "economic asset".

"Like rail or the NBN, or pipelines for example," Mr Turnbull said.

"Debt has an important role to play, but we should not be living beyond our means."

[ozbob]

Are you catching up with friends and family over the long weekend? Cross River Rail will make it even easier. We need #crossriverrail pic.twitter.com/3qAAN5QZ7U

— CrossRiverRail (@CrossRiverRail) April 28, 2017

[Stillwater]

Tweets don't get CRR.  Quote from Ms Trad: "We have been working closely with Federal officials and providing funding and financial information for a number of months."

From the Minister who wanted the feds to cough up money two days after the latest business case was lodged.

It takes lots of financial analysis.

[ozbob]

Cross River Rail will help reduce travel times across South East Queensland. What will #crossriverrail mean for you? pic.twitter.com/dFYOgRjrCT

— CrossRiverRail (@CrossRiverRail) April 26, 2017

[ozbob]

The new station at Woolloongabba will get you to the game on time and help you get home quicker from @GabbaBrisbane. We need #crossriverrail pic.twitter.com/eGeQGdC3Qm

— CrossRiverRail (@CrossRiverRail) April 29, 2017

[Stillwater]

These tweets are designed to put the state government fingerprints and DNA all over CRR in order to take the wind out of the sails of any federal government Budget announcement and associated publicity about the Coalition being a 'nation building' government, funding major infrastructure.  Not so subtle social media war going on here.

What if the tweets were coming from PM's office?  Jackie Trad would be condemning them, saying they are a waste of taxpayers money, screaming SHOW US THE MONEY.  Not all that many sleeps to the Budget, Minister.

[Arnz]

Fly-through is now up on the CRR website, complete with music.

The fly-through video uses a "Nambour" bound NGR train in the fly-through. 
The  mock-up PIDs in a CRR station looks a lot simpler.  It just lists the CRR stations, then Eagle Junction, Northgate, Petrie followed by "then all stations to Nambour" in the mock-up full-screen PIDs instead of listing all the stations on the stopping pattern as they usually do.

[Stillwater]

Hummm, there's that TransLink livery and logo on the front of the train in the flythrough.  TransLink gets top billing in the station entrance designs (QR has a little strip of red at the bottom of signs and logo beside doors of trains).  Is QR about to be thrown under a train?

[Stillwater]

In his Traps Column today, Peter Cameron wrote: "Treasury is secretly chasing $42m emptied from the $50m Cross Rail Budget last June.  Not a sod has been turned, nor a stone laid.  Inland Rail from Melbourne may whistle first."

Question: What $42m and where did it go?

[ozbob]

The Premier is certainly more than ' upset ' with the Prime Minister according to the reported rhetoric. 
Can we conclude that CRR is not getting much funding in the forthcoming Federal Fudget?  Hence Treasury wants its sponduli back?

Or is this just the classic Premier type stunt to launch into a perceived ' unpopular ' PM in an attempt to shore up the home front prior to battle?

Where did the $$$ go?

Well we have a nice new fly-through HD vid hey?   

[ozbob]

One good vid deserves another hey?   

[ozbob]

And another.  Hey this ' new vid ' is not that new after all, just saying ..

[ozbob]

And as it all was in 2008   

[QRtrains]

Once QR can get the October 2016 timetable back together, and the NGRs in service, they really, really need to deliver this. The crowding on the Merivale bridge is getting ridiculous 

[James]

And another.  Hey this ' new vid ' is not that new after all, just saying ..

The music in that video is simply breathtaking. With such brilliant, orchestral and majestic music, I simply cannot see Turnbull doing anything but providing 100% of the funding for this project.