Premier admits Cross River Rail ‘issues’
UPDATE: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has outlined shortfalls in the Cross River Rail business case, saying it was ‘inadequate in a number of respects’. Treasurer Curtis Pitt has described his comments as a ‘revelation’.
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THE Cross River Rail business case lacks detail around its development, land use issues and proper integration with other public transport, Malcolm Turnbull says.
The Prime Minister said he had a very constructive discussion with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk this morning about the $5.2 billion infrastructure project.
“The submission, or the proposal, is inadequate in a number of respects,” he told reporters following the meeting.
“This is Infrastructure Australia’s view and they want to know more about its integration with other transport systems and networks in southeast Queensland, about land use opportunities, generally the development aspects of it.
“It needs more work. That is not — I am not making a criticism of it, I am just stating a fact.”
He said the Premier’s Director-General Dave Stewart would be meeting with Infrastructure Australia shortly.
“We certainly want to bring the assessment process to a conclusion but at this stage it is still ongoing,” he said.
Treasurer Curtis Pitt today said the Cross River Rail business case was “very strong” and denied the State Government had botched the process.
“I understand that there has been suggestions today that there’s additional information that may be required,” he said.
“We’ve had that offer on the table since we handed the business case to Infrastructure Australia nearly 12 months ago.”
Mr Pitt said the State Government had always been ready to provide additional details on Cross River Rail.
“To have that come up today is a bit of a revelation,” he said.
“And, of course, we are still very disappointed we didn’t see funding in the Federal Budget.
“I can say that the Budget that I’ll hand down next month will contain real money that can be demonstrated in the forward estimates which will be for job-creating infrastructure projects.”
EARLIER: Premier admits Cross River Rail ‘issues’
PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk says Infrastructure Australia has some issues with the Cross River Rail business case that need to be addressed but she will not reveal what they are.
She will also not comment on whether it involved further taxes to capitalise on any increase in land values as a result of the project.
Ms Palaszczuk met with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to discuss the project, among other issues, this morning.
She said the meeting was “respectful” and she was hopeful about progress on getting funding for Brisbane’s second river rail crossing.
“The Prime Minister and I have had a very productive conversation,” she said as she left the hour-long meeting
“He has conveyed to me today that Infrastructure Australia has a couple of issues that they would like some more work done on and I have said that I will progress work as quickly as possible.”
Ms Palaszczuk said she would be meeting with Deputy Premier Jackie Trad today to discuss the business case issues.
It comes after Mr Turnbull yesterday hinted he did not believe the state was doing enough to ensure it took advantage of the increase in property values likely as a result of the project.
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