Schrinner uses LNP conference to slam Labor over Brisbane Metro

Brisbane lord mayor Adrian Schrinner has used his speech to the LNP state convention to launch another attack against the Labor state government over the Brisbane Metro.

The $944 million council transport project has been pushed back after the state government last month called for a planned cultural centre station to be moved.

Adrian Schrinner used his speech to the LNP state convention on Sunday to take another hit at the state Labor government over the delayed Brisbane Metro Project.Credit: Jocelyn Garcia

Cr Schrinner at the time called it “Brisbane’s Adani” in reference to the troubled Adani coal mining in central Queensland, which has been the subject of heated political debate.

The mayor was still incensed about the issue on Sunday when he addressed the third and final day of the LNP convention.

“We put a billion dollars on the table [to fund the project] and all we ask is for Labor to get out of the way,” Cr Schrinner said.

“But not only are they not funding the metro project, they're even refusing to release the $10 million given to them by the Morrison government to be passed on to the metro project.

“That’s $10 million that the state government is deliberately sitting on.”

Cr Schrinner accused the Palaszczuk government of running interference for the Labor team contesting the city council elections.

“The Labor Party is doing everything it can to block this project, so they can then turn around in March [2020] and accuse the LNP of failing to deliver on our election promises,” he said.

“I can tell you, it would make my job so much easier if Deb [Frecklington, LNP state leader] was premier. October 2020 can’t come soon enough.”

For her part, Ms Frecklington shared her local government colleague’s view of the need to get on with Brisbane Metro.

“This is a vital congestion busting project for inner city Brisbane, and one which the state LNP team fully support,” Ms Frecklington said.

State Transport Minister Mark Bailey has previously defended the government’s decision on the Metro project, saying the council jumped the gun on bringing its tender process to a close before talks between the two governments had been finalised.

On Sunday he said they were still committed to work with council to deliver the Brisbane Metro, but accused council of having a "track record" of "stuffing up" projects.

"They stuffed up King George Square, they stuffed up Kingsford Smith Drive, we're not going to let them stuff up this project," Mr Bailey said.

"We have to get this right, this is a decision which will have ramifications for the next 40 or 50 years, and that's something we all have to work together on."

Cr Schrinner also used the opportunity to praise his recent predecessor Graham Quirk, whom he replaced as lord mayor in a planned transition before next year’s local government election.

“A man who has achieved more in politics than most would ever dream of, and who leaves with the very rare distinction of going out on his own terms,” he said.

“Quirky, thank you for everything you’ve done for the party and for the city.

“You’ve set a very high bar for us, and we’ll do our best to reach it.”

In a quirk of formality, before Cr Schrinner started his speech, he had to be formally ratified by the convention as Cr Quirk’s replacement, which he was unanimously, to applause.

He outlined a number of the council’s achievements to date, including building the new Howard Smith Wharves precinct and planting more than 2 million new trees around the city.

He also spruiked the fact that the LNP members of council and the LNP cabinet in council had 50-50 gender parity, which the mayor claimed was done “without quotas”.