Queensland state budget 2024: Everything Gold Coast needs to know on light rail, hospitals, schools
The state budget has received a mixed reaction on the Gold Coast, with praise for infrastructure commitments while others say it has missed the mark.
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The state budget has received a mixed reaction on the Gold Coast, with praise for infrastructure commitments while others say it has missed the mark.
Treasurer Cameron Dick brought down his fifth budget on Tuesday, with billions of pre-election sweeteners primarily aimed at the hip pocket and cost-of-living relief.
There was also billions committed to infrastructure projects. Mayor Tom Tate applauded the Government’s record $2.8bn spend on capital works projects including continued funding for Light Rail Stage 3 and the three new railway stations at Pimpama, Hope Island and Merrimac along with the Coomera Connector.
“I also welcome the Treasurer’s comments reconfirming the government’s ongoing commitment to light rail,” he said.
“The budget papers have confirmed that light rail patronage is now up to 11.4 million annual trips. This is actually much higher than the predicted number of 10.7 million annual trips. So the public have voted with their feet.
“Passenger satisfaction is also up, averaging 4.3 out of 5, which is an outstanding result for any form of public transport.”
The reaction from the business community and political opponents has been less positive.
Mudgeeraba MP Ros Bates accused the government of pork barrelling in their own electorates at the cost of worthy community projects in her community.
Ms Bates said she had been arguing the case for more a decade for better roads, a new state high school west of the M1, raising the Austinville causeway and additional CCTV cameras to fight hooning.
“The Palaszczuk/Miles Government doesn’t care about Mudgeeraba,” Ms Bates said.
“One of the most critical projects we need is raising the Austinville causeway before someone dies when the road floods. But they don’t think we’re worth it.
“Our police are pleading for more tools to help crack down on hooning – but they’ve ignored requests for funding of more CCTV cameras on our streets.”
Ms Bates said this year’s budget was “deja-vu” with re-announcing of projects already underway.
Business Chamber Queensland CEO Heidi Cooper said the budget “does not deliver genuine, direct relief to the state’s business community and fails to lay the foundations for long-term business confidence”.
“Business confidence is weak, conditions are tough, productivity and profitability are declining and this budget doesn’t address those challenges,” she said.
“We know there are cost of living pressures in the community and those same cost pressures are being felt by businesses. We didn’t see substantial investments to help businesses manage day-to-day pressures, or plan for long-term investment.
“Many businesses are struggling to survive, let alone thrive and this budget is a missed opportunity.”
‘Won’t walk away’: Labor takes stand on light rail’s future
Treasurer Cameron Dick says Labor “will not walk away from light rail” after delivering a budget including record capital works for the Gold Coast and savings worth $10,000 to low income residents.
In a deliberate taunt to Opposition leader David Crisafulli, Mr Dick in his budget speech in state parliament on Tuesday, referred to the trams in a $10 billion infrastructure spend.
The Opposition earlier this month announced it would “review” Stage 4 light rail to the Gold Coast Airport if it wins the October election. The state government and council continue to push forward with a business case.
In his speech, the Treasurer said transport funding would include “$308 million to continue Stage 3 of Gold Coast light rail – a project our government will not walk away from”.
He later told the Bulletin: “All the major infrastructure whether it be light rail stages one two and three, heavy rail, all of our road projects, we’ve always done the business case, we’ve then done the analysis.
“We look to partner with the federal government and Gold Coast City Council to deliver the essential infrastructure that the Gold Coast needs.
“I think the people of the Gold Coast can trust our government to always do the right thing and deliver the infrastructure where it stacks up, and where it is important and necessary. You don’t have that luxury from David Crisafulli and all of their language has been about softening up the Gold Coast for cuts.”
The Treasurer in his speech positioned the budget, which addresses both cost of living concessions and a “big build” capital program, as Labor’s election platform – signalling the kick-off to the October 26 poll.
In his pre-Budget briefing, he referred to a Treasury case study of a Robina family with a health care card, and three children aged, 4, 13 and 16 where concessions including the $1672 electricity rebate and 50 cent public travel fares were considered.
“This family could be eligible for a broad range of concessions in 2024-25 that provide a total benefit of almost $10,000,” Mr Dick said.
Premier Steven Milles said the budget and his government’s economic management would help Queenslanders in need while investing in a growth state.
The Government’s Delivering for Gold Coast report card talked up almost 7100 kids eligible for free kindy, 5253 First Home Owner Grants worth $91 million, free TAFE for almost 10,000 students and apprentice trainee rebates worth $25 million for 1195 businesses.
“This is a budget that I am proud of, and that delivers for Queensland,” the Premier said. At the heart of the 2024-25 $91 billion state budget is a “big build” engine room which will see $2.8 billion on Coast capital works supporting 7200 jobs. This compares to $2.3 billion infrastructure program delivered last year creating 6500 jobs, much of it in the health sector.
The big ticket Coast items are:
* $120 million allocated for the Coomera Hospital of a $1.3 billion spend.
* Almost $169 million of the $500 million total spend to build new train stations at Pimpama, Hope Island and Merrimac.
* More than $308 million out of $1.2 billion total spend on light rail Stage 3 from Broadbeach to Burleigh.
* An additional $864 million by both the government and Commonwealth on the $3 billion Coomera Connector with the Stage 1 north to open late next year.
* $165 million out of a $1.5 billion budget for the upgrading the Pacific Motorway widening the M1 to six lanes from Varsity Lakes to Tugun.
Coast education is a big winner with a $116 million budget, most of it on upgrading existing facilities including halls – up from the $90 million outlayed the previous year.
The other key Budget takeaway is $74.8 million for social housing, to expand and improve the Coast’s low-cost housing network.
Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the budget focused on cost-of-living to help Coast families while backing investment in education, healthcare, and the road and rail network. The Gaven MP says the Government is “doing what matters for Gold Coasters”
“We’re doing what matters easing cost of living pressures on families while investing in the future of our city,” Ms Scanlon said.
“We’re continuing our nation-leading investment in housing while investing in the projects and services that matter to all Queenslanders.
“Unlike the LNP who openly admit to failing to achieve enough for the Gold Coast. Since we came to government, the Gold Coast has 1908 extra nurses, 763 extra teachers, 505 extra doctors and 149 extra ambulance officers.”
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