The influential Local Government Association of Queensland is running a grassroots campaign to demand the parties outline their intentions early. The association regards the priorities as: sustaining local jobs, strengthening the regions, keeping communities safe, protecting the environment, supporting the bush and advancing First Nation councils.

The LGAQ recently struck a deal allowing council leaders to use Parliament House for meetings and is now polling Queenslanders on a dedicated state election website. So far, the LGAQ report card is only giving Labor a C grade and the Liberal National Party a B-minus. The Katter’s Australian Party, despite its size, is top of the class with a B grade.

LGAQ President and Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson today said the major parties had yet to rise to the challenge of creating 29,000 jobs and generating $4.6 billion in economic activity over the next term.

“Strong councils mean stronger local communities,” Jamieson said.

“As the level of government closest to the people, councils are best placed to deliver tailored economic stimulus to local communities where they need it most.”

Jamieson said the Katter’s Australian Party could hold the balance of power and had been more willing to engage with the LGAQ on issues, even if they didn’t agree.

“The Katter’s Australian Party has provided a comprehensive response to the LGAQ’s 2020 Election Priorities,” Jamieson said.

“While the party has not supported every initiative, we do hope to engage further with them to better define their support, particularly in the areas of protecting the environment and advancing First Nations councils. “

The South-East Queensland Council of Mayors, meanwhile, has revived its push for a fast rail network. With the state election only weeks away, voters may also get on board.

The Council of Mayors has long pushed for a fast rail network, arguing it would also be critical to the region hosting a future Olympic Games and help future-proof infrastructure.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic and recession put the Olympic bid on hold, along with a related SEQ City Deal on infrastructure funding. It remains to be seen whether governments embrace fast rail as a job-creating, economy-boosting answer to the recession.

The Council of Mayors has conducted polling to gauge public attitudes to fast rail. Politically, investing more in the cities is not normally an issue that regional politicians like the Katter’s Australian Party would support – Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party has criticised the Olympic bid – but it resonates with voters in more populated areas.

The proposal would see fast rail integrated with the CityTrain network, from Brisbane to the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and as far west as Toowoomba. Depending on the level of funding available, fast rail could reduce city commute times to as little as 45 minutes for outlying stations, reducing congestion and providing more development opportunities.

“Interestingly, support for the introduction of a South East Queensland Fast Rail Network had grown in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” its report found.

“Whether it’s related to the economic benefits of a transformative project such as Fast Rail or the long-standing frustrations of commuters in South East Queensland, 87 percent of respondents support the introduction of a regional fast rail network to manage the region’s congestion challenges.”

The poll asked Queenslanders whether they were more likely to vote for a candidate who supported fast rail: just over half agreed they were more likely, however a third said it would not influence their vote.

“As the Council of Mayors asks both the current State Government and Opposition to commit to a genuine exploration of Fast Rail in partnership with government and industry as its primary election ask, it appears that South East Queensland’s voters are also watching on with interest,” the report concluded.

The Palaszczuk government agreed to delay negotiating Commonwealth funding for an infrastructure package, partly to support the Olympic bid, until next year.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, who only recently re-engaged with the Council of Mayors, today said there was still an opportunity for governments to create an economic windfall for the region.

“Fast Rail would create a long and stable pipeline of jobs for South East Queensland. We’re talking about thousands of jobs each year across a 20-year delivery timeframe,” Tate said.

“The economic, social and environmental benefits of Fast Rail are enormous. Slashing the commute time from the Gold Coast Airport to Brisbane to just 45 minutes would transform the way commuters and tourists move around our region.”