Issues

Overhead Powerlines - Reedy Creek

In the dying days of the last election the Labor State Government finally succumbed to people power and announced the overhead power lines in Reedy Creek would go underground. Whilst this announcement was received in good faith by the residents, it is extremely disappointing to see this election promise excluded from the Bligh Government’s 2009 Budget.

I would like to thank all of the residents in Reedy Creek who responded to my postcard protest, with the response an overwhelming NO for overhead power lines.

I recently met with the Minister for Natural Resources, Mines, Energy & Trade and made it very clear that I and the residents will continue to fight to ensure this election commitment is honoured.  The Minister proposed a third option, which I have asked that Energex take this option to the Reedy Creek community. 

I have assured the Minister that if this option is not acceptable then no option other than the election commitment would be acceptable. 

I have met with the Community Reference Group in December and an update can be found by following this link:  http://rosbates.com.au/news/reedy-creek-powerline-route-upgrade/  

The 800 metre promise by the LNP and matched by the Bligh Labor Government follows a route across the front of homes in Reedy Creek.  A detailed map can be downloaded here:  PDF : Reedy Creek Powerline.pdf

Following my Community Forum at Reedy Creek, Energex has advised that the two options that will be put to the residents of Reedy Creek will be:

1.  The original election commitment of 800m underground as per the Reedy Creek Powerline PDF above.
2.  A second option of overhead powerlines on the eastern side of the M1, at least 120m away from homes.

These options I will direct mail the residents for their opinion, as it is your opinion which matters most.  Representatives from the STOP the overhead powerlines group were present at the forum and were pleased to note that Energex was finally listening, thanks to people power and residents of Reedy Creek looking out for their neighbours.

Overhead Powerlines - Mudgeeraba

The small rural lifestyle of Mudgeeraba could soon be changed forever with Energex planning a major upgrade of the Mudgeeraba West 33/11kV zone substation.

The project involves :

• Construction of a new 33kV powerline along Old Coach Road bet we en Mudgeeraba and Frankling Road (building over the top of existing powerpoles carrying 11kV);
• Construction of a new section of 33kV powerline along the southern side of Franklin Road between Old Coach Road and Link Road tot he Pacific Motorway;
• Replacement of the existing 33kV powerline from the Pacific Motorway at Link Road to the south of Gemvale Road.
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Energex has indicated it intends to request Ministerial designation of the corridor of land required for this project.  As part of this request, Energex is required to consult with landowners, stakeholders and the community.  I urge residents to participate in s/advanced/langs/en.js"> this consultation process and make a submission.

During my meeting with the Minister for Mines and Energy, Stephen Robertson MP, I strongly urged him to reconsider this proposal, in particular the construction of new overhead powerlines in established residential areas.

I am satisfied that the upgrade of the lines along Old Coach Road and Franklin Drive are existing powerlines and that the upgrade is required to ensure that when accidents and blackouts occur in Varsity Lakes, that Mudgeeraba's electricity supply is not threatened, given that we are on the same power grid as Varsity.

I will be convening a community forum shortly to allow residents to discuss this issue directly with Energex representatives, and will write to Mudgeeraba residents shortly with further information on this.

24 Hour Police Station Petition

In May I tabled a petition with over 2500 signatures from local residents demanding a 24 hour police station with increased counter services, and to increase the number of police in our area. It is important local residents continue to report any and all incidences so our crime statistics are a true representation of what is happening in our area. 

It took the Police Minister, Neil Roberts MP, until 3 August 2009 to respond with a three page letter that didn't address the issue of the petition until the second last paragraph.  It reads :

"The petitioners' request for the upgrading of Mudgeeraba and Nerang Police Stations to 24 hour counter operations has been reviewed by senior police management.  The police advise regular reviews of local policing arrangements has not identified a need to modify current rostering of police patrols and/or counter services at Mudgeeraba or Nerang Police Stations.  ...staffing levels are subject to ongoing review, which takes into consideration calls for service, changes in local demographics and community needs." 
I strongly urge residents to report any instances of crime, or vehicle accidents to the Mudgeeraba, Robina and Nerang Police stations so that our local crime statistics truly reflect what is going on in our local areas.

I would also like to advise residents if they have concerns they are welcome to attend the Police Consultative Committee meeting held at 5.30pm, on the 1st Monday of each month at the Mudgeeraba Police Station. This meeting is open to the public and I would encourage residents to attend and have their say.

In the dying days of the 2006 election, the State Labor Government promised Reedy Creek residents a new police station in Reedy Creek.  Not only is the new station NOT in Reedy Creek, it does NOT service the area of Reedy Creek west of the M1.  This area remains with the Mudgeeraba police.

For Robina residents in the electorate it does mean that police will respond from the new Robina Station.

Beechmont Road

Many of you would be aware there has been 17 seperate vehicle accidents on Beechmont Road since December 2008, with the latest accident in May 2009 which sadly resulted in a fatality. Prior to the election, $2.5M was announced by the State Government to upgrade this road. I am happy to report this funding will be delivered as part of the Roads Implementation Program. Whilst this amount is well short of the amount needed to undertake proper upgrading, it is an example of how people power can have a positive influence.

I have met with Main Roads and the Better Roads for Beechmont group and the three important sections to be included as part of this upgrade have been identified.  The section of road between Mirani Street and Elimbah Court has now been resurfaced.

The promised $2.5M upgrade from Tarlington Rd to Rosins Point will commence after geotechnical reports are completed.

M1 upgrades

Residents may recall in December 2008 Premier Bligh and the Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Anthony Albanese announced, amidst much fanfare, funding to ‘fast-track’ the widening from four to six lanes between Exit 73 and Exit 77. Six months down the track and $14M was allocated in the 2009 Budget to commence this long overdue upgrade.  

Yet in July 2009 the Minister for Main Roads, Craig Wallace MP, announced the actual works were not to commence until early 2010.  The upgrade will take 2 years to construct 6 kilometres of road, with a speed limit of 80km per hour.   This is the Bligh Government's idea of fast-tracking when the Coalition built the M1 in 2 years.

Temporary Safety Barriers on the M1
Following public outcry over lack of safety barriers between Exits 73 and 75, where over 10 fatalities and 164 hospitalisations have occurred, the Minister for Main Roads did a back-flip and installed the barriers before Christmas and prior to construction of the long-awaited upgrade of the M1. 

Main Roads have also changed their policy in that no family of fatal crashes which damage Main Roads property will receive a bill posthumously.

Exit 73 at Nielsens Road and Alexander Drive has finally been completed.  The planning for this upgrade finished in 2002 and it took another 7 years before it was built and the cost of which blew out by over $7M.  Long-suffering residents on Alexander Drive have finally gotten some relief from trying to get out of their own driveways.

Exit 75 is currently safe under the proposed six-laning of the M1 however the $158 million announced by the Bligh State Government in December 2008, funded by the Federal Government, is yet to be spent. Businesses and residents in City Links Estate, Eastlake Street and San Fernando Drive will be keeping a close eye on any future announcements to ensure that this exit stays where it is.

Exit 79 is under construction and is due to be completed in June 2010. Further funding of $17.9M was announced in the recent Queensland Budet to continue this upgrade. This much needed interchange will take traffic off the Mudgeeraba Road/Railway Street roundabout and will be a welcome relief for the neglected residents of the Mudgeeraba area. 

The upgrade is progressing well, however there was a need to target speeding motorists and as such the first speed camera on road works in the State commenced in November.  Issues that have been raised and addressed include traffic flow into and out of The Glades and the realignment of the stop lines in front of the signals instead of behind them have been changed. 

Line markings on the western roundabout were also changed as two lanes were going into one lane at Regency Place and was both confusing and dangerous for motorists.

Exit 85 interchange has also been allocated funding of $35.2M from the recent Budget. This is to provide access to the new Varsity Lakes railway station, and planning for the future upgrade of this interchange. The roadworks are progressing well and the concerns regarding road noise and the need for soundbarriers at Reedy Creek have now been taken into consideration. I will be holding a public meeting for Reedy Creek residents to discuss these and other issues in the New Year.

I have also met with representatives from the Christian schools and Translink to coordinate the bus schedule with the new timetable at the Varsity Lakes Station in order to encourage students to use the train/bus and reduce the number of cars on Gemvale Road.

Worongary Road

The Minister for Main Roads recently announced that $1M in Safer Roads Sooner Funding has been allocated in 2009-2010 and 2010-11 for works on Advancetown-Mudgeeraba Road (known locally as Worongary Road), including shoulder sealing and lighting works.

In response to a Question on Notice to the Minister for Main Roads regarding discussions with Gold Coast City Council to de-main this road in order for it to be upgraded in a more timely fashion by Council, the Minister responded :

"Departmental officers have had preliminary discussions with Gold Coast City Council officers regarding in-principle arrangements for the demaining of Worongary Road.

Council expectations included a significant capitalisation payment to council for future maintenance costs as a condition of demaining.  The size of that payment could not be justified because of the competing higher priorities for road funding at that time. 

However, the department remains willing to consider an application from council to negotiate taking over responsibility for this road as a local road."

I have recently written to the Minister requesting Main Roads recommence negotiations with the Gold Coast City Council to demain Worongary Road.  In the interim, I will continue discussions between Main Roads, the Minister and Councillor Shepherd on the most appropriate and timely way of upgrading the patchwork quilt that is Worongary Road. 

In the meantime it is important that residents report all 'near-misses' and accidents on this road so that these figures can be used to convince the Minister this road needs funding now and not in 10 years time.

In addition I am still awaiting a response from the Premier to the postcard campaign to upgrade Worongary Road.


Gooding Drive Roundabout

A constant complaint heard I hear is the failure of drivers to properly navigate the Gooding Drive roundabout.  Having had near misses myself I was well aware of the problem and it was one of the first issues I raised with the Department of Main Roads.

Following this consultation, the Department of Main Roads undertook a traffic count for traffic modelling of possible improvements to the Gooding Drive roundabout.

As a result, I am pleased to announce funding of $400,000 has been allocated under the Safer Roads Sooner program in 2009/2010.  Options to be considered include traffic signal metering during peak times, and anti-skid treatments on some or all of the approaches.

UPDATE:  26 February 2010

Carrara roundabout chaos to ease 
One of the Gold Coast's busiest roundabouts is set for a $400,000 upgrade in a bid to ease congestion.  Traffic lights will be installed at the notorious Carrara roundabout, linking Gooding Dv, Nerang-Broadbeach Road, Gold Coast-Springbrook Road and Robina Parkway.  

Red and amber lights will be used during peak hours on the southern approach to the intersection on Nerang-Broadbeach Rd.

Larger version of area map

New High School Needed

I have been contacted by many local parents in support of a new State High School to be built west of the M1. Government figures for 2009 show 48,478 students attend state schools at 100 percent plus capacity, while 21,227 are at school at 98-99 percent capacity.

These figures reinforce why I have continued to lobby for a new high school west of the M1 for the past two years. Sixty-eight percent of the Mudgeeraba electorate are under 45 years of age with school aged children, and with a growth rate of 3.7% per annum surely the Bligh Labor Government must have plans to build a state high school to service the needs of our rapidly growing community. 

I have recently had the Shadow Minister for Education, Dr Bruce Flegg here in Mudgeeraba to launch our Feasibility Study for a new State High School West of the M1.  On a recent Question on Notice to the Minister almost 36% of children attending State High Schools east of the M1 come from west of the M1.  This petition asks the Minister to justify why we dont need a State High School for another 20 years!

I will continue to lobby Education Queensland and Premier Bligh on this issue. A petition for a feasibility study on this issue has been created, and can be signed at my office or in many of your local shops throughout the electorate.  Petitions can be dowloaded here: PETITION - Feasibility Study for High School.pdf