TREASURER Curtis Pitt’s first budget offered $20million for Stradbroke Island but failed to allocate much-needed money to upgrade Cleveland-Redland Bay Road.
North Stradbroke Island was one of the big winners in the $49.9billion budget, handed down on Tuesday last week.
The treasurer allocated $20million over five years to the island to help it build new industries and move away from mining.
The money followed an election promise from Tim Mulherin to Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Cameron Costello.
Mr Costello said the funding would go a long way to helping the island make the transition away from mining in 2019.
But Cleveland MP Mark Robinson said the figure was “well short” of what was needed if mining jobs were going to be lost.
“It shows true contempt for the situation on Straddie by thinking the problem of island residents’ livelihoods will be solved with a small injection of funding,” he said.
“If the government carries out its threat to end all sandmining by 2019, and thus lose the $130 million per annum of economic benefit from mining, it will need to bring forward over $100 million investment in projects like Dunwich Harbour redevelopment, One-Mile transport, East Coast Road upgrade, Education and Research, Tourism projects and Indigenous opportunity.”
Redland city mayor Karen Williams said the Straddie funding was too little, too late but was pleased to see some money allocated.
She said although the budget was “responsible and practical” she was disappointed there was no funding for the Eastern Busway or duplication of the Cleveland rail line.
Cr Williams called for all levels of government to join forces and plan for the city’s transport needs through a cross-border transport group she established with Capalaba MP Don Brown this year.
ROADS
Lack of road funding also raised the ire of Redlands MP Matt McEachan who said a surplus over four years was reason enough to fix Cleveland-Redland Bay Road.
The first-term MP said he was dismayed to find no mention of $2million set aside in forward estimates to upgrade Redland Bay’s Anita Street intersection with traffic lights.
“I don’t think we’ve asked for gold plating of anything – we’ve just asked for what we need to make the road safe,” Mr McEachan said.
“The road is dangerous and the money for Anita Street was allocated so where has it gone?
“This surplus has only been possible by the prudent and responsible economic management over the past three years because you don’t just get to a budget surplus in three months.”
Mr McEachan also said he wanted guarantees the government would follow through with promises of $1million to upgrade the Mount Cotton Road and Woodlands Drive intersection and $5.2million for the Weinam Creek ferry terminal bus station.
Capalaba MP Don Brown said road upgrades were important but the government was acting responsibly and prudently by paying down debt and not racking up large infrastructure bills.
He said he started a campaign to upgrade and overhaul Rickertts Road, at Ransome but it was too premature to start upgrading the road until safety studies had been completed.
“This is a local government responsibility and Brisbane City Council has taken its responsibility and allocated $380,000 in its budget for a network design study,” Mr Brown said.
“It would be irresponsible for the state government to start any work until the outcome of that study is known.”
Mr Brown defended the budget and Russell Island got $589,000 for improvements to its ambulance station while Stradbroke Island got $2.4million to upgrade its substation.
He also said there was $50,000 allocated for Aboriginal programs to develop land infrastructure on Straddie.
