OPPOSITION MPs say Redlands has been snubbed in the Queensland budget but Labor MPs argue their election promises are being delivered.
LNP MP Mark Robinson (Oodgeroo) slammed the budget for failing to provide a regional action plan for the Redlands, as had been advocated for by Labor MP Kim Richards.
Instead expenditure in the Redlands was included in the Brisbane plan.
Hours after the budget was handed down Ms Richards and Capalaba Labor MP Don Brown released a list of budget allocations for the Redlands.
These included spending on infrastructure and main roads, North Stradbroke Island, IndigiScapes at Capalaba, education and Redland Hospital.
Federal LNP MP Andrew Laming slammed the budget’s failure to fund key road upgrades, saying the region had been condemned to growth without essential infrastructure.
“Redlands road projects have been tossed aside when they are urgently needed to reduce congestion and provide a safer and more productive transport network for local working families,” he said.
Mr Laming said roads most in need of funding were Cleveland-Redland Bay Road, Mount Cotton Road to Mount Gravatt, and Shore Street/Finucane Road.
Mr Robinson said the budget failed to deliver big ticket items like road and rail duplication, a busway and hospital upgrade for the Redlands.
“Sadly, when it comes to big ticket items of infrastructure, Labor’s budget Trad-gedy only offers pie-in-the-sky unfunded infrastructure that will bring no relief soon to the daily road traffic congestion that Redlanders suffer,” Mr Robinson said.
“If Redlands got its fair share, big ticket transport projects like the Cleveland line rail duplication, even in a staged approach, would be of immediate benefit to Redland commuters, instead of waiting forever for bigger unfunded rail projects that may never eventuate.”
Mr Robinson said it was good for Logan, Ipswich and Caboolture to receive major hospital upgrades but there was no fair share for Redland Hospital.
“If this Labor budget was fair and treated people equally, the three state Labor MPs would be announcing a major upgrade of Redland Hospital, including an intensive care unit, more beds and car parking.”
The budget allocated $375,000 in 2018-19 out of $1.73 million to upgrade the Redland Hospital, which included a water birthing suite in the maternity unit and four beds in the emergency department. There was also $3.1 million for replacing fire indicator panels and emergency warning systems and upgrading the warm water loop system at the hospital.
There is also a $641,000 upgrade to IndigiScapes which includes construction of a Welcome to Country space featuring Quandamooka culture.
Mayor Karen Williams said it was difficult to comment on a budget when the detail was so difficult to find.
”I spent last night scouring the budget documents trying to see what is in it for our residents, but without our own regional action plan it is very difficult to see the detail and over how many years the money will be committed,” She said.
“The only information I have with respect to what is in the budget for Redland City is what I have seen in the media, which has included more funding for North Stradbroke Island’s economic transition and funding to assist with the Southern Moreton Bay Island ferry terminals, but as yet I don’t have any detail about what or when this funding will be delivered.
“I will be writing to the state government to request this information, which is critical to inform council’s own planning and budgets.”
Redlands MP Kim Richards said the budget was fantastic for Redlands delivering on infrastructure and transport and getting the right roads solution for the growing southern end of Redlands with the Victoria Point bypass study.
“The budget delivers for our island communities with funding for the SMBI jetties upgrades and tourism developments like the Moreton Bay artificial reef that will result in jobs growth for our region,” Ms Richards said.
“Our commitment to training and education is again front and centre in the budget. In Redlands we’ve seen the success programs such as Skilling Queenslanders for Work have delivered.”
Mr Brown said the budget was delivering on election promises.
“We can already see the benefits that have flowed into Redlands with Kim’s voice in government,” he said.
The Richards/Brown list cites a $500,000 feasibility study for the Victoria Point bypass, money out of a $17.5 million fund to upgrade Southern Moreton Bay Island ferry terminals, $3.4 million towards the new Victoria Point bus station on Cleveland-Redland Bay Road and a $5 million minor intersection upgrade at Anita Street on Cleveland-Redland Bay Road.
