Cabinet papers relating to the $4.4 billion new train rollout will be made public
CABINET papers relating to Queensland’s bungled $4.4 billion new train rollout will be made public with acting Premier Jackie Trad, former Premier Campbell Newman and LNP Leader Deb Frecklington agreeing to release the documents.
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SECRET Cabinet papers relating to Queensland’s bungled $4.4 billion new train rollout will be made public with both sides of politics agreeing to release documents detailing their involvement in the deal.
The Courier-Mail can reveal acting Premier Jackie Trad, former Premier Campbell Newman and LNP Leader Deb Frecklington have agreed to the release of documents that will help paint a picture of what went wrong with the New Generation Rollingstock project, a project that has been delayed and plagued with design problems.
An independent third party is likely to be appointed to sift through the documents and release a report into what went wrong but the final details of any such inquiry are yet to be finalised.
The Courier-Mail can reveal Mr Newman had sought advice from the Cabinet secretary and had written to LNP Leader Deb Frecklington on Sunday about his intentions to release Cabinet and Cabinet Budget Review Documents relating to the NGR project.
Ms Frecklington – who was not a member of the former Newman government Cabinet – responded yesterday giving her consent to the release.
“I have sat back in silence the last two years or so and watched this debacle play out,” Mr Newman told The Courier-Mail.
“I want to know the answers, the Queensland public deserve to know the answers and if the Newman Government made mistakes then I am more than happy to have those exposed.
“There are two essential questions that have to be asked here. What were the trains that were ordered and what were they meant to deliver and how has the delivery process been managed subsequently by the Palaszczuk Government.
“If the Labor Party at the behest of the unions, have made decisions that have compromised the delivery of these trains then they need to be held to account for those mistakes.”
Mr Newman called for a commission of inquiry into the rollout.
Ms Trad revealed she too would consent to relevant documents being released.
But she sheeted any blame for the problems with the NGR project home to the LNP and to Mr Newman’s former Government.
“Of course we will release documents that are in the public interest including relevant cabinet submissions,” Ms Trad said.
“What they will clearly show is that these were trains procured and contracted under the LNP who crowed about securing half-priced trains from India at the time.
“We have been upfront with the people of Queensland that these trains when procured were not compliant with Australian disability standards.
“That’s why we are getting on with the job of fixing them in Maryborough.”
Ms Trad indicated an inquiry could be held but it would be unlikely to take the form of a royal commission.
“In terms of the form and structure of the inquiry, we will take some advice in relation to that,” she said.
“I am mindful that this is a significant project costing Queensland taxpayers more than $4.4 billion and there ought be a proper investigation, however I don’t think it’s in the interests of Queenslanders to have a long, drawn out, costly inquiry that further adds to the significant bill that we have for this LNP botch-up”.
Mr Newman’s decision to make public the Cabinet documents follows a request from commuter group Rail Back on Track for him to answer questions about his government’s role in the bungled rollout.
Rail Back on Track has launched its own public NGR inquiry after spokesman Robert Dow’s repeated requests for a royal commission fell on deaf ears.
The NGR project – initially begun under the former Bligh Government and then progressed by the former Newman government – has been plagued with problems. The trains were months behind schedule and beset with nagging design issues including disability access problems.
Delivery of the trains was halted in March over design issues.
The Government then announced it would spend $100 million fixing the disability access flaws, awarding the contract to firm Downer with the work to be undertaken at its Maryborough works.
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