Sunshine Coast Business Council Chair Sandy Zubrinich said she was disappointed to see Labor axe the $440 million project and was concerned that minimal – if any – attempts had been made to strike up a dialogue with the Mayor and local community regarding the need for the project before deciding on its termination.
“The planned Mooloolah River Interchange was set to play a key role catering for growth on the Sunshine Coast, reducing traffic congestion in the area and providing easy access to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital precinct, so it’s really disheartening to see the plans scrapped,” Ms Zubrinich said.
“The decision will have a profound impact on the accessibility of our new hospital, and this could potentially cost lives.”
Ms Zubrinich said the Sunshine Coast’s transport links were in great need of improvement and had been underfunded for far too long.
“In failing to invest in our region, we need to consider what kind of message the government is sending to the private sector and what this means for the future of the Coast.”
“Losing such a critical piece of infrastructure has the potential to negatively influence our investment prospects and, by extension, the growth of the Sunshine Coast economy.”
Ms Zubrinich said the Sunshine Coast was in need of an integrated transport and infrastructure plan that was not discarded by a change of government.
“If plans for the Mooloolah River Interchange project can be cast aside so quickly after an election, then it’s fair to say the same thing could happen to the proposed rail link duplication.”
“We need to collaboratively develop a transport strategy that has bipartisan support so the future growth and prosperity of the Sunshine Coast is not compromised.”