Federal budget demands from Palaszczuk Government include major Sunshine Coast projects

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has laid out her government’s funding demands from the upcoming federal budget due to be handed down on Tuesday.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has laid out her government's funding demands from the upcoming federal budget due to be handed down on Tuesday.

Chief on her wish list for the Sunshine Coast was a significant federal contribution towards the long-awaited Mooloolah River Interchange and a $20 million commitment to deliver Sunshine Coast Stadium expansion.

On Sunday Ms Palaszczuk released the list of measures her government wanted to see in Tuesday's budget.

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The Premier and Treasurer Cameron Dick called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to deliver for Queensland, citing the mass migration to the state, with figures showing more than 80 people a day shifted to Queensland in 2020, which they said demanded federal support.

They called for federal funding provisions for "critical road infrastructure projects across Queensland".

 

That included a $256 million contribution towards a $320 million project to deliver the Mooloolah River Interchange.

The interchange has long been viewed as a significant transport upgrade the region required to maintain pace with its population growth.

The state government has spent $7.5 million on a detailed business case with the preferred option including:

- a major upgrade to the Mooloolah River Interchange and existing connections to the Sunshine Motorway east-west and north-south links, and Nicklin Way

- a new road connection across the Mooloolah River connecting the upgraded interchange with Kawana Way at Parrearra

- upgrading the Sunshine Motorway from the Mooloolah River interchange to Kawana Way from 2 to 4 lanes

- new local road links including a direct connection for northbound traffic on Nicklin Way to Brisbane Road in Mooloolaba, and a new link between Karawatha Drive in Mountain Creek and Brisbane Road

The business case was not due to be finalised until 2021-22 and there had long been concerns raised about the delays for the project, with significant lead time required for settling of fill before infrastructure could be built.

Between 2002 and June last year, Transport and Main Roads purchased 115 nearby properties for the project.

The proposed upgraded Sunshine Coast Stadium.

 

The other project in the Palaszczuk Government's wish list was a $20 million federal commitment towards Sunshine Coast Stadium expansion.

The $68 million project which would increase the fixed seating capacity from the existing 1000 to about 12,000 seats has hit a roadblock with a $20 million shortfall.

Sunshine Coast Council ($17 million), the state government ($20 million) and local philanthropists ($11 million) had all committed funds, leaving just $20 million from the federal government to deliver the long-awaited project.

Local philanthropists have indicated they will withdraw their money if the federal government can't find $20 million in the budget for a region which had long supported the LNP at a federal level.

Originally published as Federal budget demands from Palaszczuk Government include major Sunshine Coast projects