Why light rail is a tram crash for the LNP as Gold Coast MPs fail to get on-board

LIGHT rail and its future path south on the Gold Coast has left the LNP divided and dysfunctional on the Gold Coast, State Parliament has been told.

LIGHT rail and its future path south on the Gold Coast has left the LNP divided and dysfunctional on the Gold Coast, State Parliament has been told.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey, after reading today’s Gold Coast Bulletin, ridiculed the Coast LNP MPs for either being silent or against the expansion of the trams.

The Bulletin has reported that senior Coast LNP MPs had refused to back a call by veteran MP Ray Stevens for a referendum on extending the track to Burleigh.

Mr Bailey during Question Time was asked about the Government investing heavily in transport infrastructure on the Glitter Strip when he targeted the Opposition.

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Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey speaks during Question Time at Parliament. Picture: AAP

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“What we are seeing is the dysfunction and the division in Canberra is infecting the Queensland LNP,” Mr Bailey told Parliament.

“And there is no better example than Gold Coast light rail where we have eight Gold Coast MPs from the LNP and 15 different positions.”

Mr Bailey said Bonney MP Sam O’Connor wanted light rail to go to Harbour Town while Burleigh MP Michael Hart and Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey supported it going west rather than south through Burleigh.

“They want it to benefit his brewery and bar, what an absolute disgrace,” Mr Bailey told Parliament.

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Passengers riding the light rail to the Helensvale Station. Picture: Jerad Williams

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He described Mr Stevens’ speech on light rail as “extraordinary” where the Mermaid Beach MP referred to the trams as “being something that was inflicted on the Gold Coast like it was a disease”.

Surfers Paradise MP john Paul Langbroek and Southport MP Rob Molhoek “seemed to support it’.

“And of course the Member for Broadwater (David Crisafulli) is absolutely silent. The shark is prowling, as we have all these positions from the LNP, the dysfunctional LNP, he’s on the prowl,” Mr Bailey said.

“What you will get on the Gold Coast from Labor is investing in infrastructure,” he added.

Mr Stevens in his speech on Tuesday called for a referendum of southern-based residents on light rail citing his main concern being that the infrastructure would create more high rise development.

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Passengers waiting at Helensvale station. Picture: Jerad Williams

“I warn residents of Broadbeach, Mermaid Beach, Nobby Beach and North Burleigh in my electorate: be prepared for a high-rise coming next to you,” he said.

Mr Stevens warned that light rail had already transformed the southern end of Broadbeach.

He said high-rise limits under the City Plan and backed up by the Government had been “greatly extended to underpin the usage of the light rail”.