Cross River Rail time frame blows out further, secret documents reveal

Transport Minister Bart Mellish’s first outing at budget estimates is likely to be dominated by damning new revelations about the biggest project under his watch.

• CRR: History of bungles, blowouts, blow-ups

Numerous milestones in the Queensland government’s multibillion-dollar Cross River Rail project have been missed and pushed back by months, internal documents have revealed.

It comes as the state government and the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority says the 10.2km underground rail line will be open for commuters some time in 2026, a departure from last year’s assurance by the transport minister it would happen in the first quarter of 2026.

The issues plaguing Cross River Rail, including more potential time blowouts and intense CFMEU workplace action, are expected to dominate Transport Minister Bart Mellish’s first outing at budget estimates on Tuesday.

Internal Cross River Rail documents, obtained by the Opposition and seen by The Courier-Mail, revealed a number of key milestones have been missed or pushed back, including by up to 18 months.

The document, from earlier in 2024, shows the date for the first slow speed train into the tunnel was due to take place on May 31.

Plans for the first test train on the weekend were also rescheduled amid an ongoing stoush with the CFMEU.

Final acceptance of the project was scheduled for June 2025 but was pushed back, according to the document, to December 2026.

In March 2023 then transport minister Mark Bailey revealed the cost of Cross River Rail had grown by $960m to $6.3bn and the rail line would now open in the first quarter of 2026 rather than in 2025.

Premier Steven Miles (front) with Transport Minister Bart Mellish. Picture: David Clark

A media release from the state government at the time noted “the first revenue services originally expected to commence in 2025 to now start one quarter later”.

The state government and the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority have refused to say when in 2026 the project will open to Queenslanders, citing volatility in final certification timings.

Mr Mellish said the advice provided to him since he became a Minister was that the majority of Cross River Rail construction was on track for completion “at the end of 2025, with the first passenger services targeted to commence in 2026”.

“As the project will undergo National Rail Safety Regulator approval and other commissioning requirements, it is not possible to predict the precise month of passenger services commencing,” he said.

A delivery authority spokesman also said the first passenger services were expected to commence in 2026.

But he also noted ongoing interruptions to work schedules — likely a reference to ongoing CFMEU protests — and “unprecedented and ongoing market challenges” were impacting productivity and availability of labour.

“Cross River Rail is not immune to these challenges and the Delivery Authority is working with the project’s contractors to look at ways to mitigate the impacts of these external pressures,” the spokesman said.

Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie said the project had been a train wreck, and blamed the government for letting the CFMEU ride “roughshod” over them and blow out timelines.

CFMEU Queensland assistant state secretary Jade Ingham said it was “CPB management” not workers that had forced delays on the project.

“Parts of this project are at least two years late due to design faults, variations, poor planning and a lack of basic construction methodology and sequencing,” he said.

Originally published as Cross River Rail time frame blows out further, secret documents reveal