Two major rail projects in doubt ahead of 2032 Games

Major rail projects promised as part of the 2032 Olympics infrastructure plan are in doubt with significant cost blowouts revealed. Login or signup to continue reading The Queensland government has vowed to have mass transit in place by the Games but is relying on its 100-day infrastructure review to come up with the solutions. Extending Queensland's Sunshine Coast rail through to Maroochydore and completing the Gold Coast light rail may not be finished in seven years to meet the demand of the 2032 Olympics.

A submission to the state's Games 100-day infrastructure review has claimed the Sunshine Coast rail extension could nearly double from $12 billion to more than $20 billion sparking concerns it may be too out of budget to complete. The project - which was set to connect Brisbane, Moreton Bay and the Sunshine Coast - was recently taken off the federal government's infrastructure priority list which Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said on Thursday spelled alarm bells for funding cuts. Stage one currently has $5.



5 billion committed by the state and federal governments for completion. Mr Bleijie said the submission's figures that Sunshine Coast rail could cost $500,000 a metre are "alarming" but the bigger concern is the federal government deprioritising the project. "Our commitment is absolutely to have mass transit delivered by 2032 and now the federal Labor government have gone away from that commitment," he told reporters.

He has written to federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King to demand the rail project be put back on the priority list so it can be completed. But the government will be relying on the 100-day Olympics infrastructure review's findings for the best way forward. "We are absolutely saying we must deliver a transport solution to the people of the Sunshine Coast by 2032 and we are looking at all the proposals put into the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority," Mr Bleijie said.

Mr Bleijie also revealed stage four of the Gold Coast light rail - Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta - is in doubt with the state government to conduct a second review of the project before continuing with the build. It will look at the modes, the type of transport and routes. "If there are other modes of transportation that might be done sooner, we'd rather get on with the job and build things a lot quicker," he said.

Stage four of the project has long been debated after the former Labor government revealed costs could rise to $7.6 billion. He said the goal remains to complete the rail project by the 2032 Olympics but further consultation with the community is needed to get on with the job.

The state's independent 100-day review of infrastructure, including stadiums and transport options, is expected to deliver a blueprint by March. It was commissioned by the Liberal National government after controversy by the former Labor leaders who chose to ignore a previous review's recommendation to build a $3.4 billion stadium in Brisbane's Victoria Park as the Olympic centrepiece.

The former government copped criticism for instead opting to upgrade ageing facilities such as the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, Suncorp Stadium and the Gabba. The LNP government has promised to follow the second review's recommendations and deliver the Olympic infrastructure within the $7.1 billion state and federal funding envelope.

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