Bribie Island bridge duplication: Steven Miles’ concession on business case

Premier Steven Miles has conceded the government could have waited for the business case to be completed before announcing its $700m Bribie bridge duplication.

Premier Steven Miles has conceded the government could have waited to announce its $700m Bribie Island bridge election promise until after receiving the results of a business case study.

Labor on Monday announced the mammoth spending promise, which would duplicate the existing Bribie bridge to make the crossing two lanes each way, if re-elected in October.

The $700m commitment was made without a completed business case, prompting criticism the government was pork-barrelling to retain the marginal seat of Pumicestone.

Mr Miles has now revealed the business case study would be released imminently – well before the October 26 election.

Asked why the government did not wait to make the $700m announcement until it had received the business case, Mr Miles said: ”There’s an election coming up.

“And locals need to decide what’s on offer to them from parties. In this case, we wanted to assure them that if they re-elect Labor, they will get the $700m access bridge.”

Premier Steven Miles and Member for Pumicestone Ali King on Wednesday. Picture: Lachie Millard

Mr Miles said the timing of the announcement was “entirely appropriate” due to a cabinet meeting in the City of Moreton Bay this week.

He confirmed the government had not sought a funding contribution from the federal government, meaning the bridge would be the most expensive transport project funded solely by the state government since the $6.3bn Cross River Rail.

Despite the government not yet receiving the business case for the bridge, Member for Pumicestone Ali King claimed that adding an additional bridge instead of upgrading the existing one to four lanes was the best value for money, while indicating the community had the final say on which option went ahead.

“The community here is really committed to our existing Bribie bridge; they spoke loud and clear and made it abundantly clear that they didn’t want to see it replaced,” she said.

“It also has decades and decades of useful life as a working asset.

“So the best-value-for-money solution was what has been proposed, which is a new two-lane bridge on to the island.”

Originally published as Bribie Island bridge duplication: Steven Miles’ concession on business case