COVID-19 puts Brisbane SEQ City deal in limbo
A multibillion-dollar deal to transform Brisbane and the southeast is now in limbo despite other cities being on track to get their cash.
Future QLD
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A multibillion-dollar deal to transform Brisbane and the southeast, involving former Treasurer Jackie Trad, has been kicked into limbo today despite other cities being on track to get their cash.
The SEQ CityDeal was supposed to take the politics out of major infrastructure planning and funding but has instead fallen victim to a combination of COVID-19 and the electoral cycle, stakeholders say.
The deal being brokered originally by then-Treasurer Jackie Trad, Federal cities minister Alan Tudge and the southeast’s mayors on what the priorities were for infrastructure funding was expected this month but that timeline has been abandoned after COVID and the looming state election.
The Federal, state and local councils made the announcement just before midday today that that deal had been postponed, in a move industry groups have described as “cruel blow” for economic hopes.
“Today’s announcement that the long-awaited South East Queensland City Deal has been delayed until some time in 2021 is a cruel blow to one of Australia’s fastest growing regions, whose citizens deserve better,” stakeholders the Property Council and the Committee for Brisbane said.
“For more than two years, the Federal and Queensland Governments and the Council of Mayors (South East Queensland) have been negotiating, with the support of industry, to deliver a package of infrastructure investment that recognises, and plans for, the region’s growth.
“The significant impact of COVID-19 on the State’s economy should provide added impetus to a City Deal, now.
“In an announcement that is the complete opposite, the governments will ‘extend the negotiation of the SEQ City Deal into 2021 while we focus on recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic’.
“A SEQ City Deal should be the centrepiece of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. “Today’s decision to postpone all the hard work done to date is confusing and disappointing.
“Other regions of Australia – Darwin, Geelong, Western Sydney, Albury/Wodonga – are benefiting from billions of dollars of investment through City Deals, so why is southeast Queensland being neglected?
“We remain committed to working with all three levels of government to deliver a SEQ City Deal.
“We ask the governments to reconsider this decision and deliver on the promises made to south east Queensland residents to fund and prioritise City Deal projects that will support our growth and our economy.”
An email sent to stakeholders today says “The Australian Government, Queensland Government and Council of Mayors (SEQ) have agreed to extend the negotiation of the SEQ City Deal into 2021 while we focus on recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As governments focus on the COVID-19 impacts it will be important to assess new priorities in the context of the recovery at a later date.
“This will ensure all levels of government have greater clarity of the impacts on the SEQ region and that new and emerging priorities are considered to ensure we have a solid foundation for our future SEQ vision.”
The City Deal could be a critical part of Queensland’s economic recovery, Brisbane Lord Mayor and SEQ Council of Mayors chairman Adrian Schrinner said.
“Extending work on the SEQ City Deal into 2021 allows COVID-19 impacts to be considered as part of our future planning for the region. It gives us time to work closely with councils and industry to understand what is needed for the long-term recovery of South East Queensland,” Cr Schrinner said.
“Having all levels of government working together to get our economy back on track is absolutely vital and the SEQ City Deal could be a key part of the recovery effort.”
A spokesman for current Treasurer Cameron Dick, who replaced Jackie Trad at the negotiating table after she should down from Cabinet, said the priority was dealing with COVID-19.
“The agreement to extend negotiations on an SEQ City Deal was a joint decision by the Federal and State Governments and the SEQ Council of Mayors,” he said.
“While securing an SEQ City Deal remains a longer-term priority, the immediate focus for all governments is priorities around addressing the health and economic impacts of COVID-19.”