Doorstop - Helensvale, Gold Coast
MINISTER ROBERT:
We’re here to announce a further $316 million into the duplicate M1 or the Coomera Connector program. This is a program, an infrastructure commitment the Federal Government has already put in over $700 million. This takes the Federal Government, the Morrison Government's investment to over a billion, $1.07 billion. This is a key piece of infrastructure for the Gold Coast and for the area to duplicate the M1. Where we're standing right now is at the edge of where this road will be, and of course, this we’ll do Stage 1. The extra $316 million is designed to take away any excuses for this project not to start right now. This deals with any cost overruns, any blow-outs because of materials have gotten more expensive, and with this extra $316 million, the Morrison Government is expecting the states to start getting on with this project in the coming months. This project should be starting right now. The Morrison Government has not taken the Gold Coast for granted. There was a hole, there was a problem, and we have stumped up to fix it. I noticed the council recently passed a minute and then published the fact that they were looking for $40 million as part of a city deal. Well Angie and I are here today to say to the mayor and the council we haven't bought 40, we've bought $316 million to assist the city. I'm looking forward, Angie, to the council passing a resolution and writing a letter to that effect. Now what does it mean, Angie, this funding for the city?
ANGIE BELL:
Great to be here with you, Stuart. This means that those residents who live on the central Gold Coast can be home sooner and safer with this $316.1 million additional going into this project, bringing the Federal Government, the Morrison Government's investment in this to over $1 billion. So today we're here celebrating the fact that this project should be going ahead now. It's ready to go ahead now. No excuses. Let's get to work so that we can kick start our local economy. Of course, the Gold Coast is so important in Australia's recovery when it comes to the economy and jobs and getting tourists back to our area and getting those who work from Brisbane back home sooner and safer.
MINISTER ROBERT:
Yeah, thanks, Ange. Couple of things as the Acting Education Minister. The NAPLAN results have been published. As we know… last year NAPLAN was cancelled because of COVID, so comparing this year's NAPLAN results with 2019, it shows there's no discernible difference between results pre-COVID and the results here, which speaks volumes for what teachers and parents have done through some very difficult years. So can I just say thank you to the teaching staff, to the all of the parents and everyone in our education system across the country that has leant in during the COVID, very, very difficult months. The NAPLAN results are your results. They speak to your success. They speak to what you've been able to achieve with no discernible difference between pre-COVID and where we are now. Well done to the parents and teachers of Australia.
QUESTION:
Were there any concerns for you from the NAPLAN results?
MINISTER ROBERT:
There’s always concerns. For example, we see that girls are doing better than boys when it comes to literacy, to reading, and writing. We see that more pronounced in Year 9. We can see the reintroduction of phonics and direct instruction in the early years of schooling is making a big difference. We're also seeing at that Year 9 level with boys, 20 per cent, one in five boys are not at the national standard for reading and writing. The other great concerning thing is when you graph the results with parents and employment, we see again in Year 9, one in five students not meeting reading and writing if their parents are unemployed compared to only 1 or 2 per cent if their parents are employed. So, there's some way to go. Funding wars are over. The Morrison Government in this state has increased since 2014 education funding by 141 per cent. The next steps are all about teacher quality. They're about classroom discipline, and of course, they're about the curriculum.
QUESTION:
On the Coomera Connection, both of you mentioned no excuses. How frustrating has it been seeing these delays continue to prop up and work still hasn't started yet?
MINISTER ROBERT:
Well the Federal Government, of course, announced over $700 million off the bat, but we've got a history of this. The multibillion dollars to complete the M1, of course, was announced by the Federal Government, the states follow. The exits announced by the Federal Government, the states have followed. The key thing now is we've doubled down in our 700 million. A further $316 million today to ensure the funds are there. It’s not about political squabbling. It's not about delays anymore. Gold Coasters need to get to work. They need to get home safely. The Federal Government wants this project started right now, and we're backing in our call with almost a third of a billion dollars.
QUESTION:
And that additional funding, so it's not going to add any more frills to the project which really just to cut the cost blow-out?
MINISTER ROBERT:
It's to cover the cost blow-outs and the delays and to get every excuse off the table. It's the Morrison Government being the best friend the Gold Coast has ever had by saying there's a problem. We're turning up. We're not going to blame anyone. We're just turning up with the funds to fix it.
QUESTION:
And construction will hopefully start in the middle of next year. Has a contractor been appointed yet?
MINISTER ROBERT:
My understanding is the State Government is still working through that. Constitutionally, only a state government can actually contract with a major infrastructure developer. The Federal Government can't. Therefore, there's no excuse now. The State Government, engage contract. Let's get diggers here in the coming months. Let's get dirt being moved.
QUESTION:
It’s my understanding that the State Government came to the table with extra funding back in September. Is there a reason that it’s taken Federal Government until now to kind of match that almost?
MINISTER ROBERT:
This is a state government project. It's not a federal government project. This is a state government project. The State Government’s just in trouble, the Federal Government is turning up. In short, the Federal Government will not leave the Gold Coast stranded at the mercy of a state government that can't fund their projects. So we’re turning up. We're here as the best friends the Gold Coast has ever had in the Morrison Government, and we're here to make sure this project gets moving.
QUESTION:
Are you concerned that the lack of contractor could mean there'll be more delays?
MINISTER ROBERT:
I’m not concerned yet. I’ll be concerned in January if the contractor isn't on board.
QUESTION:
Great. Anything else to add? Anything else to add on top of that?
QUESTION:
Max Mayer from Rebel Media. Concerns have been raised by Forde MP Bert van Manen about the impact that this project will have on the Eagleby Wetlands. Have you had any contact with Bert about this issue, and is that a concern that the Federal Government has?
MINISTER ROBERT:
We're putting this project on the IRTC, the Inter-Regional Transport Corridor, a corridor that's been gazetted for over 25 years, a corridor that's been put in place for this project and has been in place for a quarter of a century. So, everyone knows it's coming. We're now getting on and building it.
[ENDS]