Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3A: Why southern Gold Coast has a massive fight on its hands to secure light rail

Politicians are in favour. So is most of the public. But the light rail extension to Burleigh has hit the buffers. And there’s a very simple reason why, writes Keith Woods.

THE landscape can appear very different, depending on your view.

In the debate over the need to extend the light rail to Burleigh, much has been said about the potential impact on the federal election contest in the seat of Forde.

But to understand what is driving political leaders to ignore calls for more funding for Stage 3A, perhaps instead of looking to the north, we should turn our gaze south to the seat of McPherson.

The proposed route of the Stage 3A extension of the light rail to Burleigh Heads.

The destination of the extension, Burleigh Heads, lies at the heart of the electorate, where Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews defends one of the safest Liberal seats in the country.

To snatch the seat away from her, Labor would require a swing of almost 12 per cent. It isn’t going to happen, especially with Bill Shorten’s far left agenda.

In McPherson the contest will be decided on national issues, and the enduring popularity of Ms Andrews. Neither party has an incentive to shower the electorate with goodies, because both know the outcome will not be affected.

It should therefore come as no real surprise that Mayor Tom Tate’s phone does not ring with a promise of another $45 million from the federal party leaders.

Mayor Tom Tate waits by his phone for a call from The Prime Minister Scott Morrison or Opposition Leader Bill Shorten to pledge the extra money needed fro stage three of the Light Rail. Picture: Glenn Hampson

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But it should also be little surprise that the cash-strapped State Government is baulking at footing so much of the bill.

On current costings, Brisbane would be on the hook for $557 million, from a total cost of $741 million. That’s an extraordinary figure to add just eight stops to the current light rail line.

It’s money that could just as easily be spent in the city’s fast-expanding north, where elections are more closely contested, at both state and federal level.

In Forde, Bert van Manen clings on by 0.9 per cent.

But how we see Forde is also affected by where we view it from. While to us it represents the northern Gold Coast, seen from Brisbane, it is the seat of Logan, with the addition of much of Ormeau, Coomera and Pimpama. And it’s a fair bet that, whatever people feel in Coomera, in the streets of Park Ridge, Loganlea and Shailer Park, the possibility of riding trains and trams all the way to Burleigh will not be high on the agenda when ballots are cast on May 18.

Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon and Moncrieff Labor candidate Tracey Bell spruiking the benefits of Cross River Rail outside Nerang railway station this week.

Of more potential significance in these areas is the Cross River Rail project – the Gold Coast train line cuts through the heart of the constituency.

Little wonder that while Bill Shorten demurs on the possibility of chipping in another $45 million for light rail on the southern Gold Coast, he is happy to sink $2.2 billion into Cross River Rail, despite the fact that the State Government promises to fund it entirely if federal help is not forthcoming.

It means, however, that the Gold Coast faces getting squeezed out of the spending picture.

Destination Gold Coast CEO Annaliese Battista is absolutely right to marvel at how “under-invested” the city is in terms of infrastructure. Having just returned from two weeks in Western Australia, where I was impressed by the strides taken there since my last visit six years ago, I can see what the former City of Perth economic development boss is talking about.

The Gold Coast – particularly the southern Gold Coast – is getting left behind.

CEO of Destination Gold Coast, Annaliese Battista. Picture: Jerad Williams

Continued expansion of the light rail network is utterly vital to our future transport needs. Although it may seem expensive now, it will be used for generations to come.

Cross River Rail only addresses one part of our transport problem – the congestion on the route north to Brisbane. Easily as important is the congestion within the Gold Coast itself, caused by journeys that start and end in this city. The light rail is the only project of note that attempts to address that.

To his credit, despite the unfavourable politics on the Gold Coast, this is something that State Transport Minister Mark Bailey has always acknowledged, describing the project as “essential”.

An artist’s impression of trams at Burleigh Heads.

It needs to be acknowledged by federal leaders too.

Both Bill Shorten and Scott Morrisson are happily pledging billions to key marginals. But that does not mean the other 75 per cent of the country should be entirely neglected.

What’s needed to bring the light rail to Burleigh is chump change by comparison to what they promise to spend elsewhere.

It may be hard for them to see it from the election battlefields, but the Labor and Liberal leaders are being shortsighted. They need to expand their view. Because this city needs its fair share too.