Queensland Parliament: Estimates hearing

UPDATE: Infrastructure Minister Jackie Trad has insisted Cross River Rail will be needed by 2021, regardless of Brisbane’s new train control system.

INFRASTRUCTURE Minister Jackie Trad has insisted Cross River Rail will be needed by 2021, regardless of Brisbane’s new train control system.

During Budget estimates hearing today, Ms Trad was quizzed about the impact of the new European train control system which the Government has committed to fund.

The $634 million system will ensure more services can safely travel on the existing network by automatically stopping trains rather than relying on drivers.

The $5.4 billion Cross River Rail project will link Dutton Park to Bowen Hills with four new underground stations, including an inner-city access point on Albert Street.

Ms Trad told the hearing that the ETCS would meet additional service requirements on the city’s northside until 2026.

However, the Deputy Premier said the system will not aid the southside which will reach capacity by 2021.

“The ETCS will only provide us capacity to about 2023-2026,” she said.

“And it won’t provide additional capacity for the southside and that is an important issue.

“The only solution to the capacity constraints for the southeast Queensland rail network is in fact Cross River Rail.”

The Opposition also quizzed Ms Trad and Building Queensland chief executive David Quinn over why new train costs had not been included in the Cross River Rail business case.

“In terms of ordering rolling stock I think it is quite clear we have significant time to make that determination and put in that order,” Ms Trad said.

However, Opposition deputy leader Deb Frecklington said the cost of new trains which would be required should have been included in Cross River Rail’s business case.

“How can Labor expect to build a train project without trains?” she said.

“Does Jackie Trad expect commuters to walk through the Cross River Rail tunnel?”

EARLIER: The Queensland Opposition claims funding for new trains was not included in a business case for Brisbane’s Cross River Rail.

Opposition infrastructure spokeswoman Deb Frecklington today used a budget estimates hearing to table a page from the executive summary of the project’s business case — a document that is not yet public. She questioned Building Queensland chief executive David Quinn on how the body was able to exclude the cost of new trains from the $5.4 billion analysis.

An artist’s impression of the Cross River Rail.

Mr Quinn said the economic analysis, which was completed for the purposes of an economic decision, was separate to the financial analysis, which assisted with funding issues.

“Was it the case that the Deputy Premier (Ms Trad) instructed you to do a business case without the funding of new trains?” Ms Frecklington said.

Mr Quinn replied: “There was no instruction received from the Deputy Premier”.

Ms Trad stepped in and attempted to shift the spotlight onto the LNP’s “flawed” version of the project, the bus and train tunnel.

“There was no business case (on the LNP project),” she said.

“We haven’t seen your business case either,” Ms Frecklington replied.

“Well apparently you have, because you tabled a document from the business case,” Ms Trad said.

Treasurer Curtis Pitt, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Minister for Transport Stirling Hinchliffe and Deputy Premier Jackie Trad announcing the Cross River Rail project. Pic: Darren England

Ms Trad demanded to know how Ms Frecklington came to be in possession of a cabinet-in-confidence document.

“Mr Chair, I will remind those opposite that in terms of construction and in terms of operation we are talking about quite a number of years, so in terms of ordering rolling stock, I think it’s clear we have significant time in which to make that determination and to put in that order,” she said.

The interjections continued.

“You’re embarrassed about your own so you have to talk about ours,” Ms Frecklington said.

Ms Trad said the cross river rail model included stations that would accommodate nine-car trains, which would be crucial for addressing future capacity problems.