The Labor Government's infrastructure freeze has seen a billion dollars a year stripped from the State's infrastructure spend meaning we're not only fighting for a fairer share of the pie, but a bigger pie as these state-wide cuts are unsustainable.
However, we will keep fighting with one united voice, speaking up for the region and the plan we took to the last election to deliver the biggest infrastructure spend for the Sunshine Coast.
The Sunshine Coast LNP MPs took a record infrastructure plan to the electorate in 2015, a plan whose priorities had the endorsement of the local council and backing of business to support the future needs and jobs of the Coast. This was on top of the largest hospital project in the Southern Hemisphere being built at Kawana for $1.8 billion and major Bruce Highway upgrades largely funded by the Federal Government.
The LNP State plan included duplicating the rail line and unlocking public transport on the Sunshine Coast as well as redesigning and delivering an upgraded access to the new hospital. It was part of an exciting vision for Queensland and the Sunshine Coast to utilise other government assets to fund new infrastructure.
However, with the change to a Labor Government with minority MP support, a billion dollars a year has been stripped from Queensland's infrastructure spend.
The issue is not only about fighting for our fair share of the pie, it's about having a bigger pie and making sure Governments of all levels don't waste money on the wrong priorities.
Here on the Sunshine Coast, the State LNP MPs have been united in the regional infrastructure priorities which we took to the last election and will continue to advocate for these projects despite the State-Government's wind back on state-wide funding.
