Cross River Rail and the extension to Gold Coast Light Rail are among the 12 infrastructure projects the Palaszczuk Government has submitted to Infrastructure Australia for its 2015 priorities report.
Infrastructure Australia’s Infrastructure Priority List was last updated in December 2013.
Now Queensland has submitted its list of projects that it would like to see in the 2015 version.
Infrastructure, local government and planning minister Jackie Trad outlined the 12 projects, which comprise five carried over from the 2013 priority list with updates, five new projects for consideration on the list, and two initiatives listed as ‘in development’.
Cross River Rail, the Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade and the Mount Isa – Townsville Rail Corridor Upgrade (including the Townsville Eastern Access Corridor) are three projects being carried over – with updates – from 2013 in Queensland’s recommendations.
Stage 2 of the Gold Coast Light Rail line, and the Inland Rail/Southern Rail Corridor are two new projects Queensland has submitted to IA for consideration in the 2015 list.
“South East Queensland is home to one in seven Australians and in the next 25 years an additional 2.2 million people will move into the region,” Trad said.
“Infrastructure Australia has already recognised Cross River Rail is the number one priority infrastructure project for the nation and it remains so for the Queensland Government.”
Cross River Rail was listed in the 2013 priority report as ‘ready to proceed’, with an estimated cost of $4.45 billion and a benefit cost ratio (BCR) of 1.34.
“We continue to call on the federal government to come to the table with funding so this project can be delivered to address the Brisbane CBD capacity constraints identified in the Australian Infrastructure Audit,” Trad said.
“A second rail river crossing will ease congestion, unlock economic opportunities and make Queensland a more internationally competitive state.”
An extension to the Gold Coast Light Rail – which opened in July 2014 – is one of the major projects Queensland will propose IA add to its priority list in 2015.
“Currently the major roadblock to funding this project has been a lack of support from the federal government but it is a vitally important project to improve connectivity between Brisbane and the Gold Coast,” Trad campaigned.
“The Palaszczuk Government’s first Budget delivered a $10.1 billion building program to support 27,500 jobs and our government building program is the second highest in the nation.
“In contrast, under [former Prime Minister Tony] Abbott’s leadership Canberra retreated from its traditional funding responsibilities in infrastructure and not a single new infrastructure project was announced for Queensland in the last federal budget.”
The full Queensland Government submission:
Projects on the 2013 Infrastructure Priority List to be retained and updated
Cross River Rail
Bruce Highway Upgrades
Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade
Mount Isa – Townsville Rail Corridor Upgrade including Townsville Eastern Access Corridor (TEARC)
Ipswich Motorway –Rocklea to Darra – State 1
New initiatives and projects for Infrastructure Priority List consideration
Gold Coast Light Rail – Stage 2
Cunningham Highway – Yamanto to Ebenezer/Amberley upgrade
Pacific Motorway – Mudgeeraba to Varsity Lakes capacity upgrade
Inland Rail/Southern Rail Corridor
Pacific Motorway – Gateway/Pacific Motorway merge
Initiatives in development
Smart Road Infrastructure for SEQ – Managed Motorways
National Land Transport Network Renewal
