Steven Miles, Qld mayors arrive in Canberra to lobby Catherine King on infrastructure demands

Queensland deputy premier Steven Miles has aired his grievances over federal Labor’s infrastructure overhaul directly with the minister in what he has labelled a “productive meeting”.

Mr Miles, accompanied by a convoy of regional Queensland mayors and the state’s trucking authority, spoke directly with Catherine King on Wednesday about her decision to axe funding for nine major rail and road programs in the state, and shift from an 80:20 funding model to 50:50.

Nationally, 50 projects were axed as part of the Albanese government’s response to an infrastructure review of the country’s $120bn 10-year pipeline.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk had been among the loudest critics in response to the axing of $7.4bn in funding.

Mr Miles, after his first meeting – and ahead of a second one later in the day – said he was pleased he and the delegation had been able to share their concerns “about how that review, and the outcomes of that could impact on our ability to deliver really important infrastructure”.

He said it had never been his expectation that Ms King would suddenly change her mind as a result of the meeting, but felt he could go back to Queensland knowing the Albanese government knew how serious an issue it was for the state.

“We were able to outline the number of topics that were of particular concern for Queensland, and the Australian government was able to provide some reassurances there,” he said.

“But they also undertook to take those away and to explore how they might be able to better address those concerns.”

Mr Miles said the federal government had taken “very seriously” the impact the decisions would have on Queensland.

He said it was his hope that after a second meeting, “we’ll be able to have some more concrete outcomes” and that his government would continue to keep pressure on federal Labor about how important investment in Queensland is.

Deputy Sunshine Coast Mayor, Rick Baberowski, said having now hashed it out with Ms King, he felt more comfortable explaining to his own constituents why the funding changes had taken place.

Given two of the nine projects axed in Queensland were to be built in the Sunshine Coast, he said that ahead of the meeting he’d been at a loss to understand why.

“I’m much happier that we’re in a good position to not say the door has been closed, but been left ajar,” he said.

The change to the funding model has been of particular concern to Queensland as well, with the Palaszczuk government claiming this change would have a significant impact on crucial upgrades to the Bruce Highway.

Mr Miles said they had sought undertakings from the Commonwealth that even with the move from 80 per cent to 50 per cent “that their contribution will remain at the same quantity, and that alone would be valuable to us”.

“Of course, we will continue to argue that Queensland’s most important roads should be funded at 80:20,” he said.

Originally published as Steven Miles, Qld mayors hail ‘productive meeting’ with Catherine King in Canberra