2015–16 Activity Statement—Infrastructure

Queensland’s infrastructure includes our energy, transport, communications and water assets, as well as our schools, hospitals and healthcare facilities. Queenslanders’ vision for infrastructure is that all Queenslanders will have access to the services they need through world-class infrastructure. Our infrastructure will drive economic growth and be a key enabler in the digital economy.

Infrastructure and services need to encompass the significant distances that separate our regional communities. Our seasonal weather sees flooding isolate entire communities, cause extreme heat damage to our roads and increase demand on our power generators. Population growth and lifestyle changes will continue to increase demand for infrastructure and services.

In 2015–16, the Queensland Government:

Creating jobs and a diverse economy

• released the State Infrastructure Plan to manage Queensland’s future growth
• established the State Infrastructure Fund with an initial investment of $500 million, subsequently increased to $2 billion, including a Priority Economic Works and Productivity Program and a Significant Regional Infrastructure Projects Minutes of The Queensland Plan Ambassadors Council for comment prior to sending to Chair.established an Infrastructure Portfolio Office to monitor the implementation of the State Infrastructure Plan and drive infrastructure innovation and best practice across Government
• established the Infrastructure Cabinet Committee with responsibility for driving the state’s infrastructure program, ensuring whole-of-government integration of infrastructure planning and delivery
• formally established Building Queensland, under the Building Queensland Act 2015, to provide independent expert advice to the government on infrastructure priorities and major infrastructure projects, including Cross River Rail and the European Train Control System
• commenced the development of Regional Transport Plans across Queensland which will guide the future development of the transport system
• progressed delivery of roads and transport projects, in a funding partnership with the Federal Government, including:
• the 10-year $8.5 billion Bruce Highway upgrade program (2013–14 to 2022–23)
• the five-year $635 million Warrego Highway upgrade program (2014–15 to 2018–19)
• the five-year $260.5 million Cape York Region Package (2014–15 to 2018–19)
• $1.606 billion Toowoomba Second Range Crossing, a bypass route to the north of Toowoomba
• $1.143 billion Gateway Upgrade North, widening the Gateway Motorway between Nudgee and Bracken Ridge
• progressed delivery of roads and transport projects, fully funded by the Queensland Government including:
• $4.156 billion for the New Generation Rollingstock project
• $160.7 million over three years (2015–16 to 2017–18) for a package of transport infrastructure works on the Gold Coast in the lead up to the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April 2018
• finalised maritime safety infrastructure in the Port of Gladstone and facilitated export access to three Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities on Curtis Island in preparation for the commenced shipments of LNG
• completed key cycling projects on the state-controlled network – Stage 1 – Samford to Ferny Grove Cycleway and David Low Way – Maroochydore River to Godfreys Avenue, and continued construction of major cycling infrastructure, including the Veloway 1 Bikeway and North Brisbane Bikeway
• provided grants to local governments for new cycling infrastructure including: Norman Creek Crossing by Brisbane City Council, Brassall Bikeway Stage 4 by Ipswich City Council, and a cycleway connecting Brinsmead to Redlynch in Cairns completed through Active Towns Pilot Program
• progressed the construction of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games venues including the development of three new venues, Carrara Precinct, Coomera Indoor Sports Stadium and the Queensland State Velodrome at Chandler in Brisbane, and major upgrades to a further seven venues
• continued development of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games village
• progressed funding discussions for the $250 million North Queensland Stadium with the Australian Government, Townsville City Council, the National Rugby League and other potential funding contributors
• progressed delivery of the $1.8 billion Sunshine Coast University Hospital, which will open with 450 beds in April 2017, growing to 738 beds by 2021
• completed the $514.3 million Cairns Hospital redevelopment, which includes a new clinical services building and a new cancer care centre including radiation oncology service
• completed the $147.7 million Logan Hospital Emergency Department upgrade
• negotiated the development lease to enable construction of the Brisbane Broncos Training, Administration and Community Facility
• approved funding through Get Playing Plus, to support 47 large sport and recreation infrastructure projects across the State
• piloted the School Sport Infrastructure Program to provide opportunities for community use of under-utilised places in schools for sport and active recreation
• delivered recreation infrastructure in Seqwater’s catchments, dams and lakes including trails at Lake Samsonvale and Wyaralong Dam, upgraded picnic and recreation areas at Lake Macdonald, Waterside Park, Hinze Dam and Lake Wivenhoe, and upgraded paddle craft launch areas at Lake Maroon and Wyaralong Dam
• engaged key State Government, business, community and local government stakeholders through the Community Hubs and Partnerships program to maximise the social and community benefits of infrastructure projects in Caboolture, Yarrabilba and Moranbah
• contributed funding to Round 1 of the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program, leveraging funding for 68 new or upgraded mobile towers over the next three years and  established ongoing management of the arrangement, with 15 new sites already in place improving telecommunications coverage for businesses and communities
• continued a collaborative partnership with the Council of Mayors South East Queensland and the Property Council of Australia to investigate how a City Deal model approach to funding infrastructure can be applied to the South East Queensland region
• commenced delivery of a $20 million Betterment Fund, supporting councils impacted by Tropical Cyclone Marcia, to design and build back to a more disaster-resilient standard
• coordinated the submission of 26 applications to the Federal Government’s National Water Infrastructure Development Fund, with Queensland securing funding for feasibility studies for 14 water supply proposals
• enabled infrastructure development through the delivery of 13 planning schemes, two Indigenous Land Use Plans and four Community Survey Plans in discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, providing the security of land tenure required for private operators and public sector agencies to invest in these communities

Delivering quality frontline services

• recommissioned the first stages of the Borallon Training and Correctional Centre, which has a strong focus on education, training and employment skills as part of the rehabilitation process
• provided a rolling four-year statewide schools fund
• opened four new primary schools for the commencement of the 2016 school year under the Queensland Schools Public Private Partnership Project:
• Pallara State School—relocation of existing school to a brand new school at Ritchie Road, Pallara
• Bellmere State School—new primary school at Caboolture West
• Griffin State School—new primary school in Pine Rivers
• Deebing Heights State School—new primary school in Ripley Valley
• established new integrated early years education services in the communities of Gordonvale, Lockhart River, Barcaldine and Blackall
• completed the redevelopment of the Sunshine Coast Recreation Centre
• commenced the four-year $28 million critical infrastructure and maintenance upgrade of the South Bank Cultural Precinct to replace and renew essential services to ensure Queensland’s arts assets provide world-class experiences for more than five million visitors annually
• continued the rollout of the Government Wireless Network across South East Queensland to maximise emergency response capabilities and improve radio communications for police, fire and ambulance services

Read more about the Plan’s goals, targets and measures for infrastructure.