QLD 2021/22 Budget Recap: Investing for a Growing State

The Queensland State Budget was unveiled last night, there was a bit of something for everyone but will there be enough to go around long term for infrastructure?

More than 1.5 million people live in Queensland’s regions, making Queensland the most decentralised mainland state in the nation. To support this population, the Queensland Government has allocated a total of $14.7 billion in 2021?22 to provide productivity-enhancing economic infrastructure, essential social infrastructure and a broad range of capital works projects and programs across the state. 61.2 per cent of the budget provided is for projects outside of Greater Brisbane, which is great news as the regional areas need equity of infrastructure. However, it is southeast Queensland that is feeling the brunt of incredibly fast population growth at the moment, so will the Government’s budget be able to satisfy the demand and need for infrastructure in SEQ.

The government’s capital works program will continue to create employment with an estimated 46,500 jobs supported by infrastructure projects in the 2021?22 Budget, 29,800 of those are regional jobs.This investment will increase productivity and efficiency for Queensland’s businesses and industry. What will become apparent with an accelerated pipeline of work across the state is the intense competition for skilled talent iin areas across infrastructure. We are already seeing how tight the talent market is, and with the likely acceleration of infrastructure attached to any potential 2032 Games there will be an added pressure on infrastructure delivery.

Key investments in QTRIP 2021?22 to 2024?25 (from the Minister for Transport and Main Roads)

Key road investments (including some investments jointly funded with the Australian Government) include:

• $2.1 billion for Gateway Motorway and Bruce Highway upgrades in northern Brisbane
• $1.065 billion Rockhampton Ring Road
• $1 billion Pacific Motorway Varsity Lakes to Tugun upgrade
• $1 billion funding commitment for Pacific Motorway Daisy Hill to Logan Motorway
• $1 billion Bruce Highway Cooroy to Curra Section D
• $932.2 million Bruce Highway Caloundra Road to Sunshine Motorway upgrade
• $750 million Pacific Motorway Eight Mile Plains to Daisy Hill upgrade
• $662.5 million Bruce Highway Caboolture ? Bribie Island Road to Steve Irwin Way upgrade
• $543.9 million funding for the Warrego Highway
• $514.3 million Bruce Highway Haughton River Floodplain upgrade
• $500 million funding injection to the Bruce Highway (program details, timing and Australian Government funding contribution subject to negotiation with the Australian Government, noting the Queensland Government’s priorities for this additional investment include improvements to sections between Gladstone and Rockhampton, and between Mackay and Proserpine)
• $500 million funding commitment towards upgrades of the Inland Freight Route (Charters Towers to Mungindi)
• $481 million Bruce Highway ? Cairns Southern Access Corridor (Stage 3), Edmonton to Gordonvale
• $359 million Cairns Ring Road (Cairns CBD to Smithfield)
• $350 million Mackay Port Access (Bruce Highway to Mackay ? Slade Point Road)
• $320 million Mooloolah River interchange upgrade (Stage 1)
• $301.3 million Bruce Highway, Maroochydore Road and Mons Road interchanges upgrade
• $300 million Cairns Western Arterial Road, Redlynch Connector Road to Captain Cook Highway duplication
• $244 million Centenary Bridge upgrade
• $237.5 million funding for the Mount Isa to Rockhampton corridor
• $230 million Townsville Ring Road (Stage 5)

Key rail investments (including some investments jointly funded with the Australian Government and local governments) include:

• $5.4 billion Cross River Rail (100% funded by the Palaszczuk Government and being delivered by the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority)
• $4.156 billion New Generation Rollingstock being delivered as a Public Private Partnership
• $1.044 billion Gold Coast Light Rail (Stage 3) Broadbeach South to Burleigh Heads (with project costs subject to the finalisation of contract negotiations)
• $646.4 million European Train Control System Level 2 upgrades
• $600 million Rollingstock Expansion Project
• $550.8 million North Coast Line – Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade (Stage 1)
• $486.9 million train station upgrades at various locations including Albion, Auchenflower, Banyo, Buranda, Cannon Hill, Fairfield to Salisbury, Lindum, Morningside, Southbank, Wooloowin, Bundamba, East Ipswich, Burpengary and Dakabin
• $356.2 million Gold Coast rail line (Kuraby to Beenleigh) capacity improvement preconstruction activities
• $292.6 million Clapham Yard Stabling (Moorooka) construction
• $255 million New Generation Rollingstock, European Train Control System fitment, install new signalling
• $163 million funding commitment for the Beams Road (Carseldine) rail level crossing
• $146 million funding commitment for the Boundary Road (Coopers Plains) rail level crossing (project cost, timing and funding arrangements subject to further planning and negotiation with Brisbane City Council)
• $120 million Queensland Government funding commitment for three new Gold Coast railway stations at Pimpama, Helensvale North and Worongary/Merrimac
• $114.2 million Mayne Yard (Mayne) upgrade
• $95.1 million Loganlea train station relocation

Key targeted road safety projects (including some investments jointly funded with the Australian Government) include:

• $57 million Strathpine – Samford Road (Eatons Crossing Road and Mount Samson Road) intersection and safety improvements
• $41.8 million Isis Highway (Bundaberg – Childers) safety improvements at various locations
• $37.5 million Kennedy Highway (Mareeba – Atherton) targeted road safety improvements
• $33.9 million Nerang – Murwillumbah Road safety treatments (various locations)
• $28.8 million Morayfield Road and Beerburrum Road intersection improvements (various locations)
• $21.7 million Captain Cook Highway (Cairns – Mossman) Section 2 safety improvements

Other public transport infrastructure highlights (including some investments jointly funded with the Australian Government and local governments) include:

• $82 million for park ‘n’ ride upgrades at Coomera, Beenleigh, Ferny Grove and Carseldine train stations
• $72 million Northern Transitway
• $34.1 million Southern Moreton Bay Islands ferry terminals upgrade
• $30 million Eastern Transitway (Stage 1)
• $21 million Greenbank bus facility park ‘n’ ride upgrade

Significant active transport infrastructure investments (including some investments jointly funded with the Australian Government and local governments) include:

• $22.5 million Queensland Government funding commitment for the Riverwalk (Kangaroo Point), Mowbray park to Captain Burke park
• $24 million Cairns Southern Access Cycleway
• $20 million Broadbeach South to Burleigh Heads cycleway (associated with Gold Coast Light Rail, Stage 3)
• $14.5 million Veloway 1 (V1) cycleway, O’Keefe Street bridge
• $10 million Queensland Government funding commitment for the South Brisbane bike network

Maritime infrastructure projects include:

• $12.1 million Spit Masterplan (Southport), northern end of Main Beach, implement spit masterplan
• $12 million funding for the Boating Infrastructure Program
• $9 million Molongle Creek (Gumlu) channel deepening
• $9 million Yorkeys Knob, construct boat ramp and floating walkways
• $8 million Yorkeys Knob boat launching facility landside works (jointly funded with Cairns Regional Council)

The QTRIP 2021?22 to 2024?25 also maintains funding for councils through the successful Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme, with $280 million over four years.

For detailed information visit https://budget.qld.gov.au/