The Sunshine Coast Case : Rail duplication Beerburrum to Nambour

[Stillwater]

State pushing the 80:20 funding split for SCL because that would create a precedent for a similar carve up for Toowoomba passenger line upgrade.

[James]

Pretty disgraceful actions from the Transport Minister Mark Bailey.
May I hypothesise that the reason they are behaving this way is because the state government doesn't have the money in the first place? State debt is continuing to grow and that is with the already rather lean infrastructure spend (ie CRR and window dressing).

[Fares_Fair]

Mr Emerson promised and ensured our #SunshineCoast trains had working toilets after a public outcry.
He gave us two new daily services.
He reduced our fares by 5% in Nov 2014 from memory.

[Fares_Fair]

Great press conference FF!

Thank you Metro

[Fares_Fair]

The local media are all over this project, thanks to the tireless efforts of advocate Jeff Addison to inform journalists of the facts. The facts are known and established and can't be refuted. State Labor is defying advice from departments, ignoring sense, logic, economic and demographic strategy, its own policies on reducing greenhouse gasses and reduction of car usage and, yes, basic human decency.

The contrasts in the clip are stark -- the passion of a decent man, arguably who knows the ins and outs of this project more than any other individual (and, hence has the media's / community's respect), the businesslike advocacy and frustration of a local federal member experienced in deal-making ...

And a tall politician punishing a community for not voting Labor.

Ministers Trad and Bailey have taken this project to the political arena and that is where the battle now must be won.

Thank you for your very kind words SW.

[#Metro]

Suggest a Sunshine Coast Rail Trust Fund!

Precedent https://www.futurefund.gov.au/about-us/our-funds

We are responsible for investing the Future Fund, the DisabilityCare Australia Fund, the Medical Research Future Fund, two Nation-building Funds and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land and Sea Future Fund
Each fund has an investment mandate that is determined by the Australian Government under legislation.

We are responsible for deciding how to invest the assets of each fund. We balance the risk aspects of each investment mandate to maximise returns.

We have no role in determining the projects and initiatives that are supported or in allocating funding to specific areas. That role sits with the Australian Government.

A summary of each fund is below. Read more about how we invest the funds and how they have performed.

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> State Opposition makes $390m rail commitment

STATE Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington has reaffirmed the LNP's $390 million commitment to North Coast Rail Line duplication.

Ms Frecklington confirmed the State LNP would match their Federal colleagues' commitment, to fund the project 50-50.

She made the confirmation during her budget reply speech in Parliament on Thursday.

She said her party would "accept the Federal Government's funding deal and invest $390 million in the Sunshine Coast".

"Labor started talking about duplicating the Sunshine Coast rail line over a decade ago... and they're still talking about it," she said.

Ms Frecklington also backed a Queensland Olympic bid and called on the Palaszczuk Government to "commit all necessary funds to support" the bid.

[achiruel]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> State Opposition makes $390m rail commitment

STATE Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington has reaffirmed the LNP's $390 million commitment to North Coast Rail Line duplication.

Ms Frecklington confirmed the State LNP would match their Federal colleagues' commitment, to fund the project 50-50.

She made the confirmation during her budget reply speech in Parliament on Thursday.

She said her party would "accept the Federal Government's funding deal and invest $390 million in the Sunshine Coast".

"Labor started talking about duplicating the Sunshine Coast rail line over a decade ago... and they're still talking about it," she said.

Ms Frecklington also backed a Queensland Olympic bid and called on the Palaszczuk Government to "commit all necessary funds to support" the bid.

While I wish they weren't delaying the rest, the ALP actually did build the Caboolture-Beerburrum section. What is the LNP's record when they were last in Government? Big fat zero. I don't think either of them can be realistically trusted to do the job tbh.

[Fares_Fair]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> State Opposition makes $390m rail commitment

STATE Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington has reaffirmed the LNP's $390 million commitment to North Coast Rail Line duplication.

Ms Frecklington confirmed the State LNP would match their Federal colleagues' commitment, to fund the project 50-50.

She made the confirmation during her budget reply speech in Parliament on Thursday.

She said her party would "accept the Federal Government's funding deal and invest $390 million in the Sunshine Coast".

"Labor started talking about duplicating the Sunshine Coast rail line over a decade ago... and they're still talking about it," she said.

Ms Frecklington also backed a Queensland Olympic bid and called on the Palaszczuk Government to "commit all necessary funds to support" the bid.

While I wish they weren't delaying the rest, the ALP actually did build the Caboolture-Beerburrum section. What is the LNP's record when they were last in Government? Big fat zero. I don't think either of them can be realistically trusted to do the job tbh.

Indeed, they did and full credit to them for building Caboolture to Beerburrum starting in 2007, and finishing in 2009.
They had been in power since June 1998.
9 years, 3 terms.

You then compare that to a single term government of 3 years, who promised to build Beerburrum to Landsborough, for $532m at the end of their first term if they won the election.
They lost.

Not a fair comparison, but yes, sincerely full credit for the works they have done.

[ozbob]

Caboolture to Beerburrum opened for revenue service 14th April 2009.  Happened to coincide with Q150 too.

We had a group tour on the day > http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2059.msg10148#msg10148



Photograph R Dow 14th April 2009

[achiruel]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> State Opposition makes $390m rail commitment

STATE Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington has reaffirmed the LNP's $390 million commitment to North Coast Rail Line duplication.

Ms Frecklington confirmed the State LNP would match their Federal colleagues' commitment, to fund the project 50-50.

She made the confirmation during her budget reply speech in Parliament on Thursday.

She said her party would "accept the Federal Government's funding deal and invest $390 million in the Sunshine Coast".

"Labor started talking about duplicating the Sunshine Coast rail line over a decade ago... and they're still talking about it," she said.

Ms Frecklington also backed a Queensland Olympic bid and called on the Palaszczuk Government to "commit all necessary funds to support" the bid.

While I wish they weren't delaying the rest, the ALP actually did build the Caboolture-Beerburrum section. What is the LNP's record when they were last in Government? Big fat zero. I don't think either of them can be realistically trusted to do the job tbh.

Indeed, they did and full credit to them for building Caboolture to Beerburrum starting in 2007, and finishing in 2009.
They had been in power since June 1998.
9 years, 3 terms.

You then compare that to a single term government of 3 years, who promised to build Beerburrum to Landsborough, for $532m at the end of their first term if they won the election.
They lost.

Not a fair comparison, but yes, sincerely full credit for the works they have done.

I didn't mean to imply I thought the ALP are doing a good job. They clearly aren't (although they have in the past). I don't trust the LNP to deliver either.

I think the best outcome would be a cross-bench that delivered confidence/supply to a minority Government, conditional on NCL duplication proceeding.

RBoT Party?

[Fares_Fair]

We had our best chance for that when Hon Peter Wellington MP was the member for Nicklin for almost 10 years. He held the balance of power and took on the Speakers role. He achieved nothing for #2tracks.
I guess what I'm saying is we've had that scenario to no effect.

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> 'Studies' aren't rails on a track or jobs we can count on

Opinion: A FRIEND this week posted on Facebook an old Sunshine Coast Daily article circa 1994-7 by journalist Mark Furler, now News Corp's group digital editor.

It made interesting reading. Her husband had found it pinned ironically to a wall at his work.

It started "A $20m funding deal will help transform Maroochydore into the Sunshine Coast's capital complete with new State and Federal Government regional headquarters and a rail link".

Federal Housing Minister Brian Howe and his state counterpart Terry Mackenroth shared the announcement of the $20.3 million Better Cities Program.

"Funding was also confirmed for a $900,000 study into a rail link to Maroochydore which will take about 18 months to complete, down from the earlier estimate of three years," the article stated.

The study was to determine the best route for a transport corridor from Caboolture with a spur from Landsborough to the coast to service Caloundra, Maroochydore and what was then referred to at the time as the Sunshine Coast University College at Sippy Downs.

There was also $21 million for preliminary work on the rail link over five years with Mayor Bob King saying it was good to see his shire finally getting Better Cities funding that traditionally went to southern cities.

It was according to Cr Suzelie Connelly the first of what would be a series of major commitments by State and Federal governments and the council to Maroochydore with new facilities like a Medicare office, tax office and regional headquarters for further State and Federal government departments.

She said Maroochydore would become a key employment centre with the 20,000 jobs for the region over the following 15 years.

"Maroochydore would also need an entertainment centre and other facilities to provide cultural activities for residents and visitors".

My friend in her Facebook post questioned where the money went and wondered my thoughts.

I have plenty.

First there is no doubt the money was undoubtedly spent. Nothing chews through money faster or gives the impression of action while never guaranteeing anything, than a study.

Close to 25 years on they are still being done. Rail to the Coast remains as big a pipe dream as the duplication to Nambour. The State Government is still committing to further studies, an entertainment centre is still no more than an idea, the Marooochydore CBD project is not being overwhelmed by federal departments looking to set up offices and the promise of 20,000 jobs new jobs remains just that.

State Government offices have been built in Maroochydore but - perhaps showing undue optimism about the looming availability of public transport - without adequate car parking for staff let alone the public they are meant to serve.

How does it come to this? Why do promises about the future take so long to be realised.

Is that because the provision of infrastructure to support the massive population growth in the south east was an uncalculated cost but one constantly demanding to be paid?

Will more of the same change that outcome or in 25 years' time will we still be waiting the outcome of another study? At some point is someone in any level of government going to publicly wonder why, if all the traffic impact studies written on behalf of developers to justify each new piece of "progress" approved had been accurate, did we ended up with a south east corner of the state now so congested that it presents an efficiency cost to business?

Population growth driven economic growth is an easy way for governments to pump prime the economy.

It is a simple matter in a country which accepts a massive annual, year-on-year influx of migrants, to change the lines on planning schemes to increase the value of land and the opportunity for profit while delivering stamp duty and other revenue streams to the state.

It's an equation however that ignores the infrastructure cost of that development, instead transferring it to the public never-never.

What infrastructure charges are levied are generally the target of constant lobbying to have them reduced along with environmental oversight in the interests of cutting red tape and getting out of the way of business.

Rather than more planning for the future, is it not more than time governments started paying the cost of past growth by providing the infrastructure to meet the need it created?

How will another 200,000 people jammed into the Sunshine Coast fix problems that the past 200,000 to arrive failed to address?

And at what point, if any, will we stop accepting the false promises contained in offers of yet another study.

[Fares_Fair]

Cross River Rail information session at the Nambour Show (Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show, these days)

Facebook post generating quite a few informed responses.
Plenty of feedback to take on board.

https://m.facebook.com/CrossRiverRail/photos/a.391786234513179/866476840377447/?type=3&source=48

[Fares_Fair]

The crucial issue is whether the $50m going 'out the door' as the Minister puts it is actually going to be used for construction as opposed to further planning and land acquisition? And if construction, where? What does the $50m buy exactly? What does the $160m buy?

And whose $160m is being spent over four years?  Is that state money? Or is the $160m coming from $390m the Australian Government has provided for this project (i.e. zilch from the state government, zero, none)?

The politics being played around this project is unreal and unprecedented.

The $160.8 million is the state contribution to the project (over 4 years).
$14.6 million was allocated last financial year (2018/19)
$50 million is allocated this financial year (2019/20)

TOTAL $64.6 million state spend to end of 2019/20
That leaves $96.2 million state money over next two financial years (2020/21 - 2021/22)

The Minister said that they were allocating $210 million over the next two years (2019/20 and 2020/21)
[EDIT: He also said in Seven News interview that $162 million to be spent with $240 million ($242m?) the following year]
Not sure why each year isn't separated out, but there you go.
He stated $242 million to be spent in 2021/22.
These amounts include the state contribution.

[Fares_Fair]

Transport Minister hits back over rail funding
Sunshine Coast Daily
Friday 14th June 2019

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1139332019538628608

[Fares_Fair]

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1141687720802050048

The 'Enough of the games...' quote was by the Hon Ted O'Brien MP, member for Fairfax. Not by Jeff Addison.

[Fares_Fair]

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1143855634716086272?

[Fares_Fair]

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1146024464099889152

[Fares_Fair]

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1146029331824594945

If I was to include the short trip #Railbuses from Nambour to Landsborough (15 No.) and Caboolture to Landsborough (10 No.) we have actually lost 43 services/week to the Sunshine Coast, since 20 January 2014!
I have omitted them as my timetable service counts are based upon services to Nambour for consistency.

[Fares_Fair]

Talked to Simon Nichols from Ch 7 Sunshine Coast today about our #SunshineCoast timetable changes to occur from 29 July 2019.
Our line is so constrained.. until #2tracks occurs.
Thank you Simon Nichols and Katie Toney.

I appreciate the media efforts to bring people the facts about our rail services.
I reckon no populace in Australia is as well informed about our issues as the Sunshine Coast.

[Stillwater]

^Thanks to you informing people with the facts, the journos and the population more generally can tell a politician's BS spin a mile off on the Sunny Coast. 

[Fares_Fair]

From 29 July 2019, three #SunshineCoast train journeys are about to get longer.
Worst case scenario is an extra 3/4 hour per week on a train.
In good news, Two three car trains become six car trains.

https://twitter.com/7NewsSC/status/1146590573605707776?

[Arnz]

From 29 July 2019, three #SunshineCoast train journeys are about to get longer.
Worst case scenario is an extra 3/4 hour per week on a train.
In good news, Two three car trains become six car trains.

https://twitter.com/7NewsSC/status/1146590573605707776?

Another thing that needs to be mentioned: The three trains in question also gets the 5-car ICE trains replaced with a 6-car IMU (or IMU/SMU hybrid) permanently. (basically more seats than the ICE - especially if those services will now stop at Morayfield to Dakabin per the other existing Nambour services).

[#Metro]

I had a flash of thought.

What if businesses, councils and residents could publicly show their support for rail with a sticker?

[achiruel]

From 29 July 2019, three #SunshineCoast train journeys are about to get longer.
Worst case scenario is an extra 3/4 hour per week on a train.
In good news, Two three car trains become six car trains.

https://twitter.com/7NewsSC/status/1146590573605707776?

As I'm sure you already know, running more trains express between Caboolture and Petrie will reduce the capacity of the line and therefore the number of services than can be run.

[Fares_Fair]

Yes.
Until we get duplication we will suffer express degradation.

[Fares_Fair]

Doing a full analysis on our rail timetable to commence on 29 July 2019.
Looking back at our timetable history to 20 January 2014, the last time we got (two) new services.

The 2016 Draft Timetable for the Sunshine Coast [to come into effect for the Moreton Bay Rail Link (Redcliffe Peninsula Line) opening on (eventually) 4 October 2016], was never implemented due to the sudden onset #RailFail saga (SORRS).
It proposed 2 more services per day in off peak times - BUT did not include the promised 9 extra services made by the Queensland Government in October 2015 (by Hon Peter Wellington MP), to be implemented when the Woombye Rail Stabling opened in 2016.

Remember this 2016 timetable was prepared in October 2015, long before the onset of #RailFail.
IT IS ANOTHER BLATANT BROKEN PROMISE TO THE SUNSHINE COAST.

[Stillwater]

Would there be worth in the Mayor of the Sunshine Coast, Mark Jamieson, holding an industry, commerce and resident representative group roundtable (no politicians) to discuss this matter and to issue a communique afterwards to media.  The politics should be kept out of this. The focus must be on the project and its benefits -- socially and economically.

[#Metro]

I think a roundtable minus the politicians would be well worth it.

They could form a local coalition with a campaign website that would serve as a source of news and organisation. There could be a sticker that local business could put on their business doors and residents on their cars and rubbish bins.

[Fares_Fair]

Would there be worth in the Mayor of the Sunshine Coast, Mark Jamieson, holding an industry, commerce and resident representative group roundtable (no politicians) to discuss this matter and to issue a communique afterwards to media.  The politics should be kept out of this. The focus must be on the project and its benefits -- socially and economically.

Yes, that would be a good idea. 😊

[techblitz]

Agree as well....
And yet a literal stones throw from landsborough where people jump off thier third world service......on the bus they get to view the massive road upgrades happening around the turnoff..
Very irritating to see...

[Stillwater]

North Coast Connect Project
Delivery of the business case for the significant infrastructure upgrade project is anticipated for the first half of 2019 where more specific details will reveal the direct and indirect benefits for the economy both immediately, and long into the future.

https://amprojectpartners.com.au/2018/06/12/what-the-fast-rail-project-means-for-the-sunshine-coast

Revised date - July 2019?   

[Fares_Fair]

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1151685393558802433?

Correction: 29 July, not 23.

[Fares_Fair]

There was $14.6 million allocated in the last budget for #2tracks rail duplication to the #SunshineCoast.

The Qld govt spent $3.5 million to June 2019.

It's literally being drip fed dollars.

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily

24th July 2019

https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/coast-left-stranded-on-rail-platform-as-costs-on-t/3786879/

Coast left stranded on rail platform as costs on the rise

IT IS rare that I write to a newspaper out of extreme frustration.

In a social media post, MP Mark Bailey complained that I was biased and that I don't give them credit for building Cross River Rail, a project that does not address our critical bottleneck at this end of the line.

We can get more services to Nambour with rail duplication, than with Cross River Rail.

Cross River Rail will allow more train paths into the CBD and faster travel times if express legs are improved.

But if there aren't enough trains for the 330,000 of us, it's a moot point.

He can't even give a construction start date (or end date) for the rail duplication.

We are fed half-truths, with claims the works are being designed and planned, when the truth is there was a contract to build the 17km Beerburrum to Landsborough rail in 2009.

A contract they broke.

To be precise, it was part of a four-project contract with the TrackStar Alliance.

Back then it cost just $300million.

Today, including the proposed extra works north of Landsborough, it's $800million.

They are not starting from scratch as they'd have us believe.

In 2015, MP Peter Wellington, on behalf of the State Govt, promised nine extra trains per day to give us minimum "hourly" services throughout the day.

The Daily ran a story on it.

I have since learnt that the government will renege on that commitment, and that we will get two new trains per day, not the nine promised.

A politician's word isn't worth much these days, even when written on (news)paper.

It is no secret that we had more trains under the LNP in January 2014 than we do today.

There are some positives, like the removal of three of the seven temporary rail platforms at Cooran, Pomona and Eumundi, but without more trains north of Nambour, not many people are likely to see them.

The remaining four "temporary" platforms languish almost 10 years after being installed.

It's not a bad rental money windfall for the scaffold company.

I wish Mark Bailey could give me better facts to work with - but he hasn't to date.

JEFFREY ADDISON

====

Sunshine Coast Daily 24th July 2019 page 16

Coast left stranded on the rail platform

[ozbob]

Letter to the Ed @the_daily ' Coast left stranded on the rail platform 'https://t.co/pOinuFTfVf#qldpol#2tracks now!
It is a very unsatisfactory situation on the Sunny Coast line. Poor frequency, even worse north of Nambour. IT IS PATHETIC !! pic.twitter.com/T5p6pAB4YX

— RAIL_BoT_Forum (@railbotforum) July 23, 2019

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1153775479113076744

[Stillwater]

Whoo! Whoo! 

[Fares_Fair]

Frustrated Sunshine Coast commuters claim inadequate train services still plague their public transport system. @dannie_depinto #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/n3KaWIiSXC

— 7NEWS Sunshine Coast (@7NewsSC) July 31, 2019

https://twitter.com/7NewsSC/status/1156480459997499392?

[Stillwater]

^Hey, the lady who was interviewed was delayed an hour due to poor bus-rail connections.  She was on her way to a specialists' appointment. Try rebooking one of those easily.  Transport connectivity, or lack of it, affects people's lives more than just having them miss the start of their favourite TV program.