Labor accuses Brisbane Council of dragging feet on Metro expansion
By Juliano Oliveira
Brisbane’s Labor opposition has slammed the City Council over documents revealing that outer suburbs won’t be connected to the Metro before the 2032 Games. Northern, southern and eastern suburbs — along with workers and visitors travelling to the airport — are set to be left out under the council’s plans.
Leader of the Opposition Cr Jared Cassidy used recent data showing a surge in traffic congestion to criticise Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, saying he “drags his feet on the transport solutions our city desperately needs” while drivers are left with no alternatives.
“The Federal Labor Government handed Council $50 million for this business case a year ago — money labelled for RAPID delivery. Instead, we’re looking at a business case that won’t even be finished until 2028. That’s not rapid, that’s a disgrace,” Cr Cassidy said.
Brisbane City Council has pointed out that the Labor opposition has promised to cut future expansions of Brisbane Metro, despite the project having bipartisan support at all other levels of government.
In a statement, BCC said the state’s own 2032 delivery plan recognises future northern and eastern Metro corridors as part of Brisbane’s long-term transport network.
“The expansion of Brisbane Metro is a long-term program that will be delivered in stages as planning is completed and funding is secured.
“While the Labor opposition continues to oppose this transformative project, we’ve been busy progressing planning on future Metro extensions for more than a year.”
The Brisbane Metro project was first announced in 2016, with early plans flagging future expansion beyond the inner city. More than 6 million passengers have already travelled using the system.
Key metro stations such as King George Square, Cultural Centre, and South Bank are undergoing final upgrades to accommodate the longer Metro vehicles and provide improved accessibility.
The total project cost remains around $1.7 billion, with no major overruns reported.
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