Gold Coast light rail Stage 4: Mayor Tom Tate’s LNP blast as trams secured council budget funding

Mayor Tom Tate is staking the future of the city’s transport success on extending light rail to the border and given the LNP a blunt message about its stance on the tram network.

Mayor Tom Tate is staking the future of the city’s transport success on extending light rail to the border with a $14.5m funding commitment while blasting the LNP for putting its fate in doubt.

The 13km Stage 4 of the tramline - to go from Burleigh to the Gold Coast Airport - gets City Budget funding for “in kind” works, with the state government matching the money for project. It is in the detailed design phase, with its business case underway.

The under-construction Stage 3, between Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads, received $42m.

It comes after the LNP vowed to completely review the project if elected in October, including considering alternative routes and options.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. Picture, John Gass

The move has raised fears amongst light rail proponents that it will potentially prevent the public transport link from being completed before the 2032 Olympics.

An unimpressed Mr Tate took aim at the LNP at his post-budget press conference on Friday, saying the Opposition was playing politics over the critical infrastructure project to win power.

“The money is allocated, the work has commenced, let it go through and if it is coming in too high, they (potentially) are in government they can do what they like,” he said.

“Don’t do it because you want to save two seats in the south of the city,” he said.

“The majority of people want it to go straight to the airport. Spend a bit of money on polling and you’ll see what I mean.

“Don’t play politics with the future - you can make decisions on data, not about what to do to get into power.”

Artist impression of Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 between Tugun and Coolangatta, including Gold Coast Airport and the NSW border. Picture: Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Mr Tate said the funding in this year’s budget was a sign of the council’s commitment to the project, which he insisted was critical to completing the coastal tram route to the border.

“Our position has not changed since we sod turned stage one, this is the one project all the way to the Gold Coast Airport,” he said.

“We have never said it is four projects. It is one which we have (already) got to the completion of Stage 3.

“I would say to the LNP, let the final design complete before you actually make a decision because, until that is complete, you don’t know how long it will take, what risk is here and the hard numbers of the budget.”

The detailed business case is expected to be completed in late 2025.

The extension has an estimated cost of $4.4bn, with state government documents revealing it has a cost range between $3.1bn to $7.6 billion.

Jarrod Bleijie Photo Steve Pohlner

LNP Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie last week took aim at the project and its cost.

“Let’s put this in context. This is a project the Labor Party are now saying is worth more than the entire Olympic and Paralympic Games budget,” Mr Bleijie said at Palm Beach on Friday.

“There is a $7 billion funding pool for the Olympic and Paralympic 2032 Games and the Labor Party now is seeing the Gold Coast light rail stage four is over $7 billion.”

Mr Bleijie said he believed there was sufficient time to conduct the review and still deliver enhanced transport options in time for the Games.

“The Olympic and Paralympic bid was all about how we connect cities to each other,” he said. “I believe truly that there is enough time to pause, reflect, listen and review this stage four light rail.

“Our priority and the 100-day independent infrastructure co-ordination delivery authority, their priority and the terms of reference will be connecting cities with rail, different modes of transport, mobility issues.”