Fair Go: Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate tells Turnbull Government bureaucrats to “get off your arse” on M1

GOLD Coast Mayor Tom Tate has demanded Turnbull Government bureaucrats “get off your arse” and drive up the congested M1 as the upgrade’s funding impasse escalates.

A high-powered delegation led by Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey is seeking a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to solve the M1 funding impasse. Photo: Jerad Williams

GOLD Coast Mayor Tom Tate has demanded Federal Government bureaucrats get off their backsides and drive up the congested M1, as a funding impasse over upgrading the highway escalates.

The staunch LNP member, who has counted Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as a friend, will join a delegation led by the state Labor Government’s Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey to Canberra, to demand an extra $66 million towards the roadworks. They want a meeting with Mr Turnbull and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce.

Mayor Tom Tate loves being behind the wheel but hates being caught in the traffic on the M1. He has told Federal Government bureaucrats to “get off your arse”. Photo: David Clark

Last month the Federal Government committed $215 million to upgrading the Gateway Motorway merge of the M1, as well as widening a 5km stretch between Mudgeeraba and Reedy Creek.

However, Mr Turnbull refused to pay more than 50 per cent while the State Government maintained the Commonwealth must bear 80 per cent of the total cost. A furious Cr Tate yesterday took aim at the bureaucrats and red tape hindering the project.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull with Karen Andrews at exit 31, Loganholme, for LNP announcement of a $215 million upgrade of the M1. Photo: Jerad Williams

“You want all the bureaucrats to get rid of the red tape and they say you need a business case study just to expand the Gold Coast section, which is $20 million,” he said.

“Well, I say get off your a***, get in the car and drive from the Gold Coast to Brisbane. It will take you 45 minutes to an hour and a half – that’s your business case.”

Cr Tate yesterday took part in talks with Mr Bailey, Logan Mayor Luke Smith and representatives of the RACQ and Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland to find a solution to the impasse.

Accidents on the M1 motorway such as this have brought the M1 to a standstill repeatedly in the past month. Photo: David Clark

The Palaszczuk Government has already put up $44 million, or 20 per cent, of the Coast upgrade’s cost and even if the $66 million were secured immediately, the work would not be finished until late 2019.

Mr Bailey will write to Mr Turnbull and Mr Joyce to propose a meeting, which is also expected to include the federal transport minister, who will be named next week.

Queensland Minister for Main Roads Mark Bailey pictured here at a press conference with RACQ GM Paul Turner, Logan Mayor Luke Smith and CCIQ GM Nick Behrens at the Executive Building. Pictures: Jack Tran

Fadden MP Stuart Robert declined to comment and Moncrieff MP Steven Ciobo was overseas and unavailable. McPherson MP Karen Andrews could not be contacted.

CCIQ director Nick Behrens said continued failure to act on congestion would cost the state more than $9 billion during the next 20 years.

“We are unimpressed that the (Turnbull Government) is not willing to abide by established, enshrined precedent that these sorts of roads be funded 80 per cent by the Commonwealth,” he said.

RACQ’s Paul Turner said the industry body was determined to help cut congestion, which brought the city to a standstill repeatedly.