Prime Minister Scott Morrison coy on Gold Coast light rail stage 3A budget leak

PRIME Minister Scott Morrison is refusing to lock in a Federal Budget leak that revealed $112 million to get light rail to Burleigh — Mayor Tom Tate says it may be great news.

PRIME Minister Scott Morrison is refusing to lock in a Federal Budget leak that reveals $112 million to get light rail to Burleigh — but Mayor Tom Tate says it may be great news.

The funding for light rail stage 3A was in a list of big bucks infrastructure projects approved by the Federal Coalition under former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

It was leaked to the Gold Coast Bulletin just days after Scott ‘ScoMo’ Morrison took over as Prime Minister earlier this month.

COALITION SIGNS OFF ON $112M FOR BROADBEACH TO BURLEIGH LIGHT RAIL

Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3A artist impressions and stations between Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads

Asked if the Gold Coast could assume the $112m would still come the city’s way, Mr Morrison said: “Well leaks are rumours, that is all leaks are.

“They’re not announcements. When the Government makes announcements, the Government will make them.”

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Mr Morrison: “There will be further announcements in the future but we’ll make them at that time.”

GC Bulletin: “Okay, so we can’t lock that in for the city as a definite, that $112m?”

SM: “Well it’s certainly not the $95 million we have already spent, we've been a key partner,” Mr Morrison said in reference to $95m his government contributed to Stage 2 to Helensvale in 2015.

“When I was Treasurer that was one of the first projects I signed off on. We have made a big commitment to that project to get it where it is today and there will be further announcements in the future but we’ll make them at that time.”

Mayor Tom Tate on Prime Minister Scott Morrison playing coy on a light rail Budget leak: “I take it that is going to be a lot more than $112 million.” Photo by Richard Gosling

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Asked a third time if he couldn’t guarantee Federal backing of Stage 3A would materialise, he replied: “I’m just saying when the Government is ready to make an announcement, it will.”

Mayor Tate only saw upside to Mr Morrison playing coy.

“I take it that it is going to be a lot more than $112 million — because of the surplus. It wouldn’t surprise me if he recalibrates it and matches to $150 million.

“So that’s why I’m heartened by the comment. If anything, good on you mate, recalibrate it upwards — it’s perfect,” Cr Tate said.

Asked if he had some inside knowledge, Cr Tate cryptically replied: “More than most.”

The 6.7km Stage 3A to Burleigh is expected to take three years to complete, with 2020 pencilled in as a start date.