The 25 infrastructure projects worth $17b to Queensland’s economy
The State Government has released its blueprint for major infrastructure projects across Queensland, spruiking 40,000 jobs and a huge boost to the economy. But the Opposition says some of the most desperately-needed projects are bogged down in delays.
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TWENTY-five projects worth $17 billion and creating tens of thousands of jobs have been listed in the Building Queensland Infrastructure Pipeline, the State Government's blueprint for what it reckons should be investigated and built in our state.
The projects - all costing $50 million or above - include new hospitals and renovations, extra schools, upgrading the Bruce Highway and Pacific Motorway, the massive $2.1 billion Brisbane Live entertainment precinct, dredging Gladstone Port for bigger ships, a congestion-busting motorway bridge, dams and water pipelines.
But while State Development Minister Cameron Dick is crowing about the 40,000 jobs he says the Palaszczuk Government is delivering, the LNP Opposition say the report highlights delays and inaction, including for the biggest project listed - the massive $2.1 billion Brisbane Live.
The LNP says the massive revamp of Roma St to include a world class entertainment precinct and 17,000 to 18,000 capacity arena has been in the languishing in the hands of the Palaszczuk Government without a decision.
Brisbane Live is one for four major projects where the business cases have been finished and are awaiting a decision, Building Queensland says in the pipeline report.
The other projects are the $247 million congestion-busting Centenary Bridge upgrade, the $90m-$100 million Lake Macdonald Dam improvement and the $70 million southwest pipeline bulk water connection to Beaudesert.
Building Queensland’s Infrastructure Pipeline Report says Brisbane Live would be part of the Cross River Rail station at Roma Street and revitalise an “underutilised section of the Brisbane CBD”.
“Capitalising on the existing range of sporting, music and arts events occurring in Brisbane, the Brisbane Live Entertainment Arena, with state of the art facilities and technology would provide Brisbane and Queensland with a world class facility for premium live events that is highly accessible and well connected to all transport networks,” the report says.
It is expected to include 17,000 to 18,000 seat arena for events on a large deck structure built over the railway between Albert and Roma streets.
LNP Shadow Infrastructure Minister Andrew Powell said the report proved delays were bogging down desperately needed projects.
“Whether it was infrastructure for schools, dams or rail lines, projects across the board have been delayed, postponed or canned altogether,” Mr Powell said.
“Our roads are congested, our schools are overcrowded, our hospitals are at breaking point and prisons overflowing all thanks to Annastacia Palaszczuk’s failure to show any leadership.
“With infrastructure cuts and major project delays it’s no wonder why Queensland has had the worst or second worst unemployment rate in the nation for most of the past 12 months.”
The State Government received the Brisbane Live final report in November last year and would consider the project “in due course” but could not give a timeframe.
The State Government received the final reports for the Centenary Motorway bridge in June this year, and had sent it to Infrastructure Australia.
The water pipeline was received in March and more work is being done to make sure it provided value for money, he said.
State Development Minister Cameron Dick said the 2019 Infrastructure Pipeline Report demonstrated the significant progress made towards the state’s infrastructure needs and creating more jobs.
“The next four years will see a $49.5B infrastructure investment across Queensland, including $12.9B over the next 12 months, which will support up to 40,500 local jobs,” Mr Dick said.
“We are delivering more infrastructure than the LNP ever did.
“Sixty per cent of this year’s infrastructure budget is being invested outside Greater Brisbane, where it will support around 25,500 jobs.
“Our strong infrastructure program underpins and unlocks private sector investment, making our state’s $147 billion combined public-private infrastructure pipeline the second largest in Australia, according to Deloitte Access Economics.
“A strong, sustainable infrastructure pipeline provides confidence and certainty for investors, employers, businesses and communities.
“Projects in the pipeline respond to challenges associated with Queensland’s growing and ageing population, like planning for revitalised Toowoomba and Bundaberg hospitals and improvements to the M1.”
CONFIRMED PROJECTS
$12.6 billion Bruce Highway upgrade program: Jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments on an 80:20 basis, the 15-year (2013-14 to 2027-28) $12.6 billion Bruce Highway Upgrade Program is the largest road infrastructure program Queensland has ever seen. It is aimed at improving safety, flood resilience and capacity along the length of the Bruce Highway between Brisbane and Cairns.
$461 million Logan Hospital expansion: Logan is one of the fastest growing regions in the state and a major growth corridor for South East Queensland with an estimated population of 1.2 million. Logan Hospital is the main acute facility for the region and has grown from a 48-bed community hospital in 1990 to more than 400 beds and bed alternatives as at 2018. Despite significant capital investment over the last 10 years, and changes in models of care, the existing facility no longer has adequate capacity to meet service demand.
$176 million Cairns Convention Centre: An upgrade and expansion of the Cairns Convention Centre, along with essential maintenance works, is proposed to meet potential unmet demand for national and international conventions in Cairns.
$136 million Burdekin Falls Dam: Proposed improvement works include raising saddle dams and spillway abutments, installing post-tensioned anchors to the dam’s main spillway and abutments, and installing anchor bars at the downstream end of the spillway.
$127.5 million Ipswich Hospital redevelopment stage 1A: The region is experiencing rapid growth with the population forecast to more than double from 286,000 to 587,600 by 2036. The community is culturally, economically and geographically diverse, with lower social determinants of health than the Queensland average, resulting in proportionately higher acuity, burden of disease and health care demand. In addition to the high incidence of chronic disease, the region has an ageing population.
Inner City South State Secondary College: Construction of the Inner City South State Secondary College is expected to start by the end of 2019, with the school scheduled to commence operation with Year 7 at the start of the 2021 school year.
New youth detention centres: The Queensland Government has committed more than $320 million to expanding, building and staffing new youth detention centres.
ON THE CARDS
Waiting for State Government consideration:
$2.1B BRISBANE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT ARENA
A new arena of 17,000 to 18,000 seats located on a large deck structure built over railways, roads and property, bounded by Albert Street to the north and Roma Street to the south. It would include new public spaces and facilities and active transport connections with neighbouring central business district locations.
$247M CENTENARY BRIDGE UPGRADE
The Centenary Motorway has progressively developed from a two-lane local arterial to an urban motorway; however, it has not kept up with the rapidly changing land use and
demographic changes. As a result, the strategic network is vulnerable to severe impacts on network performance and flow breakdown in the event of a traffic incident.
The detailed business case investigated the construction of a new three-lane northbound bridge and rehabilitation works for the existing bridges.
$90M-$100M LAKE MACDONALD DAM IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
The proposed upgrade will reduce dam safety risks by increasing the spillway capacity of the dam while maintaining water supply security.
$70M SOUTH WEST PIPELINE
Connecting the Beaudesert water supply zone with the South East Queensland water grid, via Logan City Council infrastructure. The bulk water pipeline is proposed to be approximately 24 kilometres in length, connecting the Beaudesert Water Treatment Plant storage reservoirs to the Flagstone development area and to the Water Grid pipeline network.
Detailed business case being completed:
$450M-$750M TOOWOOMBA HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENT
Toowoomba Hospital is operating at capacity in a number of areas and the hospital faces long
emergency department waiting times and overcrowding. Forecast demand, driven by a growing and ageing population and high levels of chronic disease, is expected to place further pressure on the hospital.
The proposal is investigating a staged relocation of healthcare services to the Baillie Henderson Hospital site in Cranley Street which is 6.5 kilometres north of the existing hospital.
$430M SUNSHINE MOTORWAY-MOOLOOLAH RIVER INTERCHANGE
The existing Sunshine Motorway, Nicklin Way and Kawana Way transport infrastructure is congested and lacks capacity for forecast traffic growth. Proposed works include a new direct connection to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital precinct via a new two-lane road connecting Kawana Way at Parrearra and crossing the Mooloolah River to the planned Mooloolah River interchange.
$65M-$80M PORT OF GLADSTONE DREDGING
Dredging to widen the Clinton channel for bigger ships.
IPSWICH EXTRA PRIMARY SCHOOL CAPACITY - COST TO BE DETERMINED
Enrolment forecasts indicate that it is unlikely the schools currently serving the Ipswich City Council area will be able to accommodate future growth or alleviate pressure on the
existing state schools.
LOGAN EXTRA PRIMARY SCHOOL CAPACITY - COST TO BE DETERMINED
Existing schools in the area are reaching capacity and demand is predicted to increase significantly within the next five years.
EXTRA SPECIAL SCHOOLING CAPACITY ACROSS SEQ - COST TO BE DETERMINED
A number of special schools in South East Queensland have experienced significant growth in enrolments over the past five years. Population forecasts indicate that enrolments will likely
increase for students with special educational needs within the short to medium term as the population in South East Queensland continues to grow.
BUNDABERG HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENT - COST TO BE DETERMINED
Bundaberg Hospital is having to send patients to other services to deal with demand.
PARADISE DAM IMPROVEMENT PROJECT - COST TO BE DETERMINED
The project will ensure the dam meets national and Queensland guidelines on dam safety standards and continues to function safely during extreme weather events.
SOMERSET DAM IMPROVEMENT PROJECT - COST TO BE DETERMINED
Built on the Stanley River between 1937 and 1959 to the engineering standards at that time, the dam now requires upgrading to comply with the provisions of the Australian
National Committee for Large Dams (ANCOLD) and Queensland guidelines on acceptable flood capacity in response to updated climate modelling for extreme weather events.
Preliminary business case:
GOLD COAST RAIL LINE CAPACITY IMPROVEMENT - KURABY TO BEENLEIGH - COST TO BE DETERMINED
The current track of the Gold Coast Rail Line between Kuraby and Beenleigh is limiting the ability for express trains to effectively pass all stops during peak periods. This is limiting the capacity of the corridor and impacting on service reliability.
PRINCESS ALEXANDRA HOSPITAL REHABILITATION AND SUBACUTE SERVICE RENEWAL - COST TO BE DETERMINED
The need for an infrastructure upgrade at the Princess Alexandra Hospital has been identified to provide contemporary fit-for-purpose facilities for statewide spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation, as well as general rehabilitation services.
Strategic business case:
Pacific Motorway - Daisy Hill to Loganholme
Pacific Motorway - Loganholme to Nerang (including Coomera Connector)
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