I made building better roads and rail my number one priority since becoming the Federal Member for Fisher.
I have fought hard to deliver heavy passenger rail into the Sunshine Coast, from Beerwah to Maroochydore via Caloundra and Kawana along the CAMCOS corridor.
In March 2022, the Liberal National Government committed $1.6 billion to making the Sunshine Coast Rail project a reality.
This was not an election promise. It was a funding commitment laid out in the Federal Budget, covering 50% of the cost of the project.
This will absolutely revolutionise the way we move people around the Sunshine Coast and will boost connectivity between the coast and hinterland, and between our region, Moreton Bay and Brisbane.
But the State Labor Government has chosen to play petty political games.
And the Federal Labor Government, while reported to have previously committed the project, remains entirely on mute.
I am calling on the State Labor Government and the Federal Labor Government to get on board with Sunshine Coast Rail.
After twenty years of supporting the CAMCOS rail and doing nothing about it, State Labor have suddenly fallen strangely silent.
Where is the State Member for Caloundra? This project is an enormous win for Caloundra.
Where are the Federal Labor Ministers? This project will transform public transport access between regional and Southeast Queensland.
It’s time for the State and Federal Labor Governments to quit the games and take themselves off mute: do they support this heavy rail project for the Sunshine Coast?
The Beattie Labor Government set aside the CAMCOS corridor over 20 years ago.
The Bligh Labor Government – in which Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was Transport Minister – committed to CAMCOS as part of their rail revolution in 2010.
Yet the Palaszczuk Labor Government is finding any excuse to delay the project – to play politics – while they pour funding into the Gold Coast and Brisbane rail.
If you believe that it’s time for Labor to get on board with heavy passenger rail for the Sunshine Coast, sign my petition below and make your voice heard!
