Sunshine Coast Council mayor speaks out on $1.6bn Maroochydore rail cash

The Sunshine Coast Council mayor has revealed his support for a Maroochydore rail link but warned a $1.6bn funding promise left the region in “uncertain territory”.

Sunshine Coast’s Mayor has hit back at criticisms the council has been silent amid fresh debate on the cost and need for Maroochydore to Brisbane rail.

Mayor Mark Jamieson said no one had been more vocal than him over the past decade about the needs for infrastructure investment.

After recently declining to respond to the Daily’s questions about the Maroochydore rail extension cost dispute, Mr Jamieson has now revealed his views on the Federal LNP’s funding commitment.

The LNP included $1.6bn in its budget to extend rail from Beerwah to Maroochydore but it would require the state government to match the funding.

Mr Jamieson said in a statement provided to the Daily last week that he wrote to federal Labor shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers and Senator Murray Watt, to request they keep the $1.6bn commitment in the budget if they were elected.

It comes as the Sunshine Coast Daily has launched the Train for the Games campaign in support of extending rail to Maroochydore.

Mr Jamieson raised concern the $1.6bn commitment was made without the state government being on-board, which he said left the region in “uncertain territory”.

“In fact, it beggars belief that for an infrastructure undertaking of this significance that the federal government did not broker a bilateral commitment with the state government prior to making their announcement,” Mr Jamieson said in a statement.

“This would have been both the logical and prudent thing to do.”

He said he made the council’s views on the need for a train to Maroochydore known to Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey.

Mr Jamieson wanted to see further details around the planning and delivery of the project which he said would be essential to secure funds from the state.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey with Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson. Picture: Contributed

Fisher MP Andrew Wallace said the council had been “silent” on the issue since the budget commitment.

He welcomed the correspondence with federal Labor but said the state’s commitment was what the project needed.

“I know the council has a very close relationship with the state government and I would like to see them use that to put ongoing pressure on the Premier for funding for rail,” Mr Wallace said.

Sunshine Coast councillor Joe Natoli also wanted the council to be “more aggressive” in its lobbying of the state government.

Mr Natoli, a critic of the proposed $2bn light rail from Maroochydore to Caloundra, said there was scepticism governments would not fund both rail projects.

“In the current financial environment I can understand the concerns around the capacity for a government to invest in those two systems,” he said.

“And if we only get one I’m hopeful it’s heavy rail.”

Mr Jamieson said the council had advocated a more efficient public transport system was “desperately needed” to tackle congestion, accommodate growth and prepare for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Our council was in fact, the only local government funding contributor to the development of the business case for the North Coast Connect project – a project which was likewise predicated on the use of the CAMCOS corridor,” he said.

“Neither I nor our council has ever been shy or backward in advocating for essential infrastructure investment by the other tiers of government into the Sunshine Coast – with investment in the public transport network arguably our highest advocacy priority.”

Mr Jamieson said that during some key discussions the council was the only party advocating for Maroochydore heavy rail.

He said this included negotiations for the South East Queensland City Deal and early documents for the bid for the 2032 Games.

“In both instances, the Beerwah to Maroochydore rail solution and other transport infrastructure priorities for the Sunshine Coast were removed by the other tiers of government, without reference to council,” Mr Jamieson said.

“Our council – and I personally – have a strong, continuous and unwavering advocacy record with all levels of government and their political representatives for a better, integrated public transport network for the Sunshine Coast – a core and critical component of which is the delivery of the rail solution from Beerwah to Maroochydore.

“Our council will continue to advocate for the funding required to ensure this proposal becomes a reality and for it to be delivered well in advance of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”