[New] Transport cases delayed again Grant for heritage safekeeping

IT HAS been revealed taxpayers are forking out over $21 million on the latest round of business cases for Sunshine Coast public transport with no State Government commitment.

“Heavy rail should be the priority over mass transit, but the heavy rail business case is shrouded in secret with no public terms of reference or any schedule for public consultation. Planning in the dark, isn’t progress it’s about propaganda. I think the State Government’s real motivation is to delay and deny rather than build and act” states State Member for Maroochydore Fiona Simpson.

Sunshine Coast Mass Transit Action Group President, Tracey GoodwinMcDonald has requested numerous updates and more information from the Transport Minister about the status of the Sunshine Coast mass Transit and Maroochydore Rail projects with no responses to-date.

Given the speed of the Sunshine Coast’s growth and its projected population of 520,000 by 2041, proper infrastructure is imperative to supporting this growth, of which these cases were paramount.

A $500,000 HERITAGE Disaster Recovery Grant program has been launched by the Federal and State Government to assist heritage-listed property repairs following the 2022 flood season.

“Eligible owners and organisations can apply for grants of between $10,000 and $35,000 for projects that will restore cyclone, rain or flood-affected places that are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register,” he said.

In addition, projects that focus on improving the resilience of heritage-listed buildings and their contents against future disasters will also be eligible for a grant.

Chair of the Queensland Heritage Council Leslie Shirreffs said these funds come at the perfect time as some heritage-listed properties need urgent attention.

The Sunshine Coast is one of the eligible locations for these new grants, with many of the Coast’s heritage properties located amongst the Glass House Mountains, Peachester and Landsborough.