Lord Mayor says Auditor General will not investigate Brisbane Metro tender process

A question meant to put the Lord Mayor on his toes about the Brisbane Metro gave him an opportunity to launch a blistering attack against the Labor opposition.

A draft vision for the Brisbane Metro at Adelaide St. Picture: Brisbane City Council

BRISBANE’S Lord Mayor took an opposition question about his signature Metro project as an opportunity to berate them for doing “everything possible” to delay it.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner also slammed the opposition for referring the Brisbane Metro tender process to the Auditor General, which had decided not to investigate the referral.

Opposition leader Peter Cumming asked Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner about the Brisbane Metro bus capacity and power source at the council meeting this month.

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“Can you please tell the people of Brisbane — a full 43 months after you announced your so-called Metro — simple facts like how will these buses will be powered or how many passengers each will hold?” he said.

Cr Schrinner said the only way to answer that question was through the tender process and the Labor Party had done “everything possible” to delay the project.

An artist's impression of the planned Brisbane Metro Rochedale depot. Picture: Brisbane City Council

He said when the council began the tender process so it could answer those questions, the Labor Party said it was “inappropriate” to do so without all approvals and referred the matter to the Auditor General.

Cr Schrinner said the Queensland Audit Office had considered the matter as part of the annual financial audit of the council and found no need to investigate it.

“Guess what, you threw mud, you tried to involve the Queensland Audit Office. It backfired.

“The Queensland audit office aren’t your political play things, they aren’t an organisation that should be politicised.”

He added that, as with all major projects, the Labor State Government also went to tender on Cross River Rail before it had all the approvals.

An artist’s impression of Victoria Bridge reconfigured as a pedestrian, cycling and public transport bridge only.

He said it showed the opposition had “no idea” on how to deliver major projects.

“It just goes to show why these guys, in this political party, should never be given the opportunity to run Brisbane into the ground,” he said.

“They’ve never been in a position where they’ve managed a project and heaven help Brisbane if they ever are.”

He said the council had received three tenders for the buses and the council was assessing them.

A council spokesman said there could be no answers to the questions on how the buses would be powered, or their capacity “until the State Govt gets out of the way and approves the project”.