Strong Plan delivers brighter future for Gold Coast region

The 2014-15 State Budget continues to deliver a strong plan for a brighter future for all of Queensland, including the Gold Coast region.

Treasurer Tim Nicholls said the budget outlined the Government’s plan to secure Queensland’s finances by making the strongest and smartest choice to reduce debt.

“It carefully balances increases in education, health and community services spending, while not raising taxes or reducing services,” Mr Nicholls said.

“We are also making the strongest and smartest choice to secure our finances so we can reduce debt and reinvest funds into the schools, hospitals and infrastructure that we know our regions are going to need.

“This year’s budget includes a capital spend of more than $970 million in the Gold Coast region alone.

“More than $70 million is also being provided for local government recovery and reconstruction projects in the region in partnership with the Federal Government.”

Mr Nicholls said the 2014-15 Budget invested heavily in improving the economic capacity of the Gold Coast.

“This year we’re spending a total of $116.4 million on the Gold Coast to progress planning for the 2018 Commonwealth Games,” he said.

“This includes $49.1 million in funding to continue work on the Commonwealth Games Village at Southport, $18.7 million for the new Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre and $12.6 million for the new Coomera Sports and Leisure Centre.

“The Gold Coast Turf Club will benefit from the $11 million being provided for development of the premises.

“The Government is also committed to improving transport infrastructure in the region.

“This budget includes more than $90 million for the upgrade of transport infrastructure across the Gold Coast.

“We’re spending $2 million to start the duplication of the Gold Coast line from Coomera to Helensvale stations.

“We’re also improving the roads network, with a $50.7 million commitment towards the Smith Street and Olsen Avenue interchange upgrade and $38 million to increase the number of lanes on the Pacific Motorway between Worongary and Mudgeeraba.”

Mr Nicholls said Gold Coast region residents would benefit from the $11.8 billion education budget, which provides for an additional 761 teachers and teacher aides.

“We’re spending almost $8 million to prepare Gold Coast schools for the transition of Year 7 into high school next year,” he said.

“We’re building a new primary school at Pimpama, the first of 10 to be built in Queensland as part of the $1.4 billion Queensland Schools Project.

“We’re also providing $12 million to complete stage two works at Pimpama Secondary College.”

Mr Nicholls said the 2014-15 Budget provided for 267 new police officers across the state.

“We said we’d revitalise frontline services and we’re delivering on that promise,” he said.

“On the Gold Coast we’re providing $3 million to continue delivering police helicopter services and $800,000 towards the Gold Coast police hub, to ensure our police officers have the resources to effectively do their jobs.

Mr Nicholls said the budget was another step forward in the Government’s positive plan for the state.

“We are making significant progress in restoring our finances, growing a four pillar economy, revitalising frontline services and funding infrastructure projects,” he said.

“But to sustain this we must reduce debt so we can truly keep building on our strong plan for a brighter future.”

[ENDS] 3 June 2013

Media Contact – Treasurer’s Office 07 3719 7200