OODGEROO MP Mark Robinson has tipped that Redlands will receive no big ticket infrastructure items in Tuesday’s state budget.
Mr Robinson said as one of Queensland’s biggest city areas, with some 150,000 people and more than three state seats, Redlands deserved up to $1.5 billion of the infrastructure budget.
He said he based this on an equal spread of Treasurer Jackie Trad’s $45 billion infrastructure commitment over four years across the population, or across the number of state seats, both of which produced a similar amount.
“If the state budget treated Redlanders fairly and equally we would receive close to $1.5 billion towards big ticket projects – like the rail duplication, major roads duplication and Redland Hospital upgrade, including an intensive care unit, more beds and car parking,” Mr Robinson said.
“I have been working hard in lobbying the government to secure funding in the upcoming state budget to deliver such major projects but so far there is no fairness evident.
“For too long (over three years) we have suffered a Labor-imposed infrastructure freeze and I am calling on the government to look very closely at our area and not extend the freeze to seven years.”
Mr Robinson said if Ms Trad gave Redlands its own place in the budget – as supported by Labor MP Kim Richards and mayor Karen Williams – it would be evident how much the district had been robbed of in the past.
Mr Robinson said the Cleveland line rail duplication, even in a staged approach, would immediately benefit Redland commuters, instead of waiting for bigger unfunded rail projects that may never eventuate.
“Roads like Cleveland-Redland Bay Road and Mount Cotton Road are struggling to keep up, the Shore Street West and Wellington Street intersection has long been crying out for safety improvements and our hospital desperately needs an intensive care unit.
“The Redlands deserves its fair allocation of government funding to keep pace with community expectations, so it is time for Labor to show Redlands the money.”
On Tuesday, Ms Trad announced North Stradbroke Island would get $11 million in next week’s budget.
More than $4 million was for national park management on the island and $1.55 million for a whale interpretive facility at Point Lookout.
The money is on top of the $20 million North Stradbroke Island Economic Strategy budget to help the island transition from sand mining.
Prior to Ms Trad’s announcement, mayor Karen Williams said she hoped for funding for Straddie, as well as for Redlands roads, public transport and marine infrastructure.
