Exclusive: Financial documents show shock funding shortfall on Coomera Connector
Financial documents have revealed Labor will fund less than half of the Coomera Connector in the next term of government - despite promising to spend $755m.
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FINANCIAL documents reveal Labor will only fund 35 per cent of the Coomera Connector in the next term of government, warns the LNP.
Labor has promised $755m for a second M1 in a 50/50 funding agreement with the Commonwealth, for a six-lane 16.6km road from Carrara to the Coomera Marine Precinct.
But Labor’s costings released in a Working Together for Queensland 2020 Election Financial statement, tell another story – $270.25m across the next four years for the Coomera Connector.
Labor has responded to the political attack by accusing the LNP of hiding its own costings.
LNP Deputy Leader and Shadow Treasurer Tim Mander said the document showed Labor’s plans were “half-baked”
“Labor’s costings show that their Second M1 is literally a road to nowhere. It’s a half-baked con,” he said.
“All Labor is funding is a new bridge over the Coomera River. Building a Second M1 clearly isn’t a priority for Labor.
“The LNP’s commitment is three times bigger than Labor because we will commit the full $755m in the next four years. Only the LNP will fast-track and build a Second M1.”
The LNP has promised to build the first of the stage of the road from Helensvale to Coomera in the next four-year term of government. Their proposal is a four-lane highway.
Coomera MP Michael Crandon, during Bulletin election forums, said he was confident work would begin within six months of the new government being elected and “completed within the first term”.
Transport Minister Mark Bailey told the Bulletin: “The LNP has time to read and ask questions about Labor’s Second M1 plan for funding major Gold Coast projects but still hides from voters how they’d pay for their $26 billion of unfunded election promises as hundreds of thousands of people vote each day.
“Labor has been open and clear with Queenslanders that we will borrow $4 billion to pay for our election commitments.
“We followed that up by releasing our full election costings for everyone to see.
“The LNP still hasn’t been honest with Queenslanders, keeping secret what they will cut, who they will sack and what they will sell to fund their rush to a surplus right up to the last few days of the campaign.”
Mr Bailey said the funding for the 16km stage one of the Second M1 would be partly covered from borrowings and partly from future transport budgets in the next term of government, with the Department of Transport and Main roads funded for growth each and every year.
“We’ve accelerated this project so construction can start by mid-2021 and will progressively open sections over the coming years, including within the next term of government,” he said.
EARLIER: GREENS SAY ROAD NOT ENVIRONMENTALLY VIABLE
THE Gold Coast Greens want to put up a stop sign to the planning of the Coomera Connector.
Greens candidates John Woodlock in Theodore, Lissy Gavranich in Coomera, and April Broadbent in Broadwater believe the $2.4bn second M1 is not environmentally viable.
The three Greens candidates say the state government is not conducting proper community consultation, and funding can build a fast rail and expanded public transport network.
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A northern-based councillor is also concerned about the future route of the six-lane highway as residents from a new estate lobby council.
Mr Woodlock said the proposal would have a negative impact on the local community and environment.
“The emphasis on the Coomera Connector highlights the failure of planning and imagination besetting our major parties,” Mr Woodlock said.
“The current route would damage the Eagleby Wetlands, an area of Aboriginal significance and environmental importance, and impact residents in Helensvale and Arundel with increased noise and air pollution.”
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Ms Gavranich questioned the community consultation on the road.
“The overwhelming feeling in the community is that the TMR (Transport of Main Roads) community consultation process has been severely inadequate and a bit of a farce,” she said.
“Unlike Labor and the LNP, we are committed to actually listening to the concerns of the community and putting planning decisions back in the hands of everyday people.”
Ms Broadbent said her party’s plans to upgrade public transport was a more viable solution for addressing traffic congestion.
“More highways, road widenings and road upgrades won’t fix congestion from predicted population growth in southeast Queensland,” she said.
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Meanwhile, Division 1 city councillor Mark Hammel has called on both sides of politics to commit to a start date to planning and a proposed route for stage two of the highway.
“Residents on the far northern Gold Coast should have the opportunity to vote in this state election knowing what alignment each party proposes to run the second stage of the Coomera Connector,” he said.
“In my opinion, it is not an option to have the Coomera Connector end at Stapylton-Jacobs Well Road. It must cross the rivers and join up with the Logan Motorway.
“After years of going back and forward — especially the northern end of the Gold Coast in Pimpama, Ormeau, Stapylton and Alberton — we still have no idea what the actual alignment will be or when it is going to be built.”
Foreshore Coomera spokesman Paul Hogan welcomed the council informing Main Roads about the negative impact on the local road network at Coomera around Foxwell Road, Oakey Creek Road and Shipper Drive.
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“If the decision is made to construct a major connection point end at Oakey Creek Road for Stage 1 or at any subsequent stages, the outcome will be disastrous for the Foreshore Coomera residents during construction and thereafter,” Mr Hogan said.
“It is beyond our belief that Oakey Creek Road is still being considered — it is a two-lane road less than 0.5 of a kilometre long.
“It is the only access road to and from our small estate and the land set aside for connection point is approximately 250m at the very front entrance of the Foreshore Coomera Estate.”
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