Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey to meet Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate and other figures over M1 work
UPDATE: Queensland’s main roads minister will take the M1 funding fight directly to Canberra to ensure the federal government forks out its fair share.
Transport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Transport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
QUEENSLAND’S main roads minister will take the fight directly to Canberra to ensure the federal government forks out its fair share to upgrade the state’s busiest highway.
Mark Bailey will lead a delegation of mayors and stakeholders to Canberra to pressure Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to pay 80 per cent of the cost of two important upgrades on the M1 motorway.
He said the state government had already committed 20 per cent to fix two major bottlenecks — the Gateway merge upgrade at Logan and a 5km stretch between Mudgeeraba and Varsity Lakes.
Mr Bailey said the 80-20 funding split, a longstanding agreement between the two tiers of government, was followed when upgrading the same road just south of the border in NSW.
Mr Turnbull’s commitment of $215 million, which only amounted to half of the total upgrade cost, wasn’t good enough, Mr Bailey said.
“From a Queensland point of view, we can’t back down from the funding formula because we’ll see the federal government taking money out of road projects everywhere else in Queensland,” he said.
“We’re not going to let Queenslanders down.
“Queensland deserves the same funding formula as other states; we are not going to do anything other than get a fair deal for Queensland.”
Mr Bailey met on Wednesday with Logan mayor Luke Smith, Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate and representatives from RACQ and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland.
CCIQ spokesman Nick Behrens said the congestion caused by the two bottlenecks wasn’t only frustrating, it was also bad for business.
He said traffic congestion would cost the state economy and estimated $9 billion in 20 years.
“But for an individual business, what that looks like is an increase in operational costs, reduction in productivity, but also a loss of commercial opportunity,” Mr Behrens said.
EARLIER TODAY: Civic leaders from across southeast Queensland will journey up the M1 today to find a solution to the funding stoush which threatens to leave the motorway upgrade in limbo.
Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey will host a meeting at his Brisbane offices to thrash out a solution with Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, Logan Mayor Luke Smith and representatives of the RACQ and Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland.
They hope to lock in a solution which can be taken to the new-look Turnbull Government when it is sworn in next week.
During last month’s election campaign, 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, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull refused to pay more than 50 per cent of the cost while the State Government maintains the Commonwealth must bear 80 per cent of the funding.
The Palaszczuk Government has since put up $44 million, or 20 per cent, leaving $66 million unfunded.
Mr Bailey said the “frank and collegiate” debate would focus on how to get the upgrades under way as fast as possible.
“Now that we have a government confirmed, I am determine to get a fair go for the upgrade of the Gateway merge and the Gold Coast stretch of the M1,” he said.
“We must find new ways of making sure the Federal Government understand why they should give the Gold Coast a fair go.
“We have not been successful so far but I am optimistic and after a frank and collegiate discussion we will announce what our view is.”
A new Federal Transport Minister has not yet been named.
It is not known if the incumbent, Victorian Nationals MP Darren Chester, will remain in the role.
RACQ’s Paul Turner said the project was a priority and said he hoped a quick solution could be reached.
“Unfortunately, during the election we got a bit of funding but it was not enough and with the election now over, we hope the heat will have come out of the Federal Government,” he said.
“We want to sit down with the new federal minister when they come on board for constructive discussions.”
Cr Tate, who will take part in the discussions by phone, said he hoped to reach an acceptable solution.
“I will continue to lobby for the best interests of our city and the M1 upgrade is on my agenda,” he said.
Fix this fine mess: Council’s big move over parking tickets
Mayor Tom Tate is to go to the state government about changing parking laws after anger over tickets issued in narrow suburban streets. FULL DETAILS
Car stolen from garage – but insurer refuses to pay out
A Gold Coast couple who had their car stolen from their garage while they slept have been dealt another blow, with their insurance company refusing to pay out on the vehicle. Here’s why their claim was denied.