{"id":193623,"date":"2025-04-01T13:56:25","date_gmt":"2025-04-01T03:56:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=193623"},"modified":"2025-04-01T13:56:26","modified_gmt":"2025-04-01T03:56:26","slug":"new-sunshine-coast-rail-and-metro-bus-network-could-be-privatised","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=193623","title":{"rendered":"New Sunshine Coast rail and metro bus network could be privatised"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Queensland’s transport minister said he would consider privatising a new multi-billion-dollar rail and bus network on the Sunshine Coast to get it built before 2032. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The state government announced on Tuesday it would extend the heavy rail line<\/a> from Caloundra to Birtinya before the Olympic and Paralympic Games. <\/p>\n\n\n

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The original Sunshine Coast direct rail plan. The third stage (in blue) will now be a bus network. (Supplied: Queensland government)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

But instead of trains running from Birtinya to Maroochydore as promised, the government will now build an express bus system along a dedicated corridor that will extend further to the Sunshine Coast Airport. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asked on Wednesday whether he would rule out privatising the system, Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said the government would “consider any measure” to fund the massive project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“If that involves working with the private sector, I’d welcome their investment,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

“With respect to the Brisbane arena, the private sector have demonstrated that they’re willing to pay and to invest and to gain a return and deliver infrastructure that will benefit all Queenslanders, and we’re not averse to that conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Brisbane’s privately built Airtrain is operating under a 35-year exclusive contract. (ABC News: Giulio Saggin, file photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

“We’re more than happy to consider investment from any party, whether that’s the federal government or the private sector, to deliver this legacy infrastructure.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Premier David Crisafulli on Thursday said he would not be drawn on the prospect of a privatised network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“I haven’t heard what Brent [Mickelberg] said. I won’t comment on that,”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked how much the project would cost, Mr Crisafulli did not provide a figure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Let’s continue to do the analysis \u2026 we’re doing due diligence on that at the moment,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Games visitors will now be asked to ride The Wave, with direct rail to Birtinya followed by connecting buses.\u00a0(Supplied: Queensland government)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The previous Labor government’s business case estimated the heavy rail to Maroochydore would cost $12 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said the government’s Olympics plan was fully funded, but Mr Mickelberg clarified that this only referred to stadiums and minor venues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘Poor’ track record of private lines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Griffith University transport expert Matthew Burke said Australian cities had a “pretty poor” track record of individual train lines being privatised, citing the Brisbane and Sydney airport links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Matthew Burke says privatised single train lines tend to be expensive in Australia. (ABC News: Baz Ruddick)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“We’re still paying $20 for a basic suburban train to take you only a small number of kilometres,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We need to avoid that on the Sunshine Coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“If the private sector is willing to invest in a line, they usually want financial return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Sometimes that can come through land development rights but usually in Australian cities it’s been \u2026 by [charging] an extra fare.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Home owners in limbo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Residents whose homes were to be demolished for the original heavy rail line to Maroochydore are now waiting to see whether their properties will be spared. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electrician Shaun Taylor was told last year<\/a> his property in Causeway Court at Mountain Creek was needed for the final stage of the rail line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But now that trains will terminate at Birtinya and a dedicated bus corridor will extend to Maroochydore and the Sunshine Coast Airport, he faces uncertainty about whether his home is still in the firing line.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Mr Taylor says his family is living in “limbo”. (ABC Sunshine Coast: Jessica Ross)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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“We’re still in limbo and don’t know what’s going on,”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Are they still proceeding with resumptions? Are they not going to need the homes? What are we supposed to do?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Taylor said the stress on his family was significant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“My five-year-old has tweaked on to it because we’ve been talking about it, and she doesn’t want to move anywhere,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This was the first house we bought and built and brought our children home to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Everything we need for a family is in this area.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Mickelberg said he had directed his department to directly consult “one-on-one” with home owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Previously, affected residents were just advised that there was an intention to build something in the future, but there was no money to acquire property,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New bridge over Maroochy River<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mr Mickelberg confirmed buses on the Maroochydore to Sunshine Coast Airport stage would also travel on a dedicated corridor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“So it will require the construction of a new bridge across the [Maroochy] River,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We’re very mindful of ensuring that the community is consulted, particularly any affected landholders to the north of the river.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“There will potentially be some property impacts, but we’ll consult with those landholders as soon as that design is known.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Mr Mickelberg described the metro bus option as “high-frequency, high-volume” with each vehicle carrying 170 people and services running at least every 15 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Rail has some really great advantages when you’re travelling long distances because you can build up high speed, but you can’t have stops as frequently,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This solution allows us to move people in a quick manner.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ABC News<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

But instead of trains running from Birtinya to Maroochydore as promised, the government will now build an express bus system along a dedicated corridor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":193626,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,167,47,8471],"tags":[7465,13632],"class_list":["post-193623","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-breaking-news","category-queensland-rail","category-rail-news","category-sunshine-coast-rail","tag-queensland","tag-queensland-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t