The announcement, by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in State Parliament on Tuesday, marks what the Government says is the first piece of Olympic transport infrastructure ahead of the 2032 Olympic Games.

She was speaking a few days after south-east Queensland’s mayors met to nail down the infrastructure and planning needs of the region – minus the figure who is among the biggest political beneficiaries of the Premier’s announcement, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate.

Tate left the Council of Mayors SEQ group last July after discovering he would not be involved in the organising committee for the Brisbane Olympics.

The project will include more tracks, the removal of some level crossings and the upgrade of nine stations along the route.

Palaszczuk said it would ensure faster and more frequent train services between Brisbane, Logan, Beenleigh and the Gold Coast.

And the State wants the Commonwealth to match the cash. A business case estimates the total cost of the project, which the government says will create 900 jobs, will be $2.598 billion.

“Delivering new transport infrastructure that will create jobs and ease congestion are central to our Covid-19 Economic Recovery Plan,” Palaszczuk said.

“As we plan and build for the Olympics, this project is all about making sure people spend less time commuting and more time at home with their families and enjoying our great Queensland lifestyle.”

The government expects that an extra 1.2 million people will be living in the region by 2036, a rate of growth which, combined with the job of hosting an Olympic Games, demands substantial improvement in transport infrastructure.

Speaking after the Council of Mayors SEQ met at the weekend, the group’s chair Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the Covid-19 pandemic had resulted in the region being a destination of choice for migrants from interstate.

“But this growth is placing increased pressure on many of the things that make our region great. Things like how easy it is for people to find a job, how easy it is to move around, how affordable it is to live here and the health of our environment,” he said.

He said securing the 2032 Games would “act as a catalyst for investment in the south-east and now we’re keen to look at how we can continue to work together as local government to support positive outcomes for our region”.

“We have shown when the Mayors work together we can achieve great outcomes for our region and its residents,” he said.

A goal of the rail project is to slash commute times between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

“Today we’re calling on the Federal Government to match our additional $1.121 billion funding commitment to ensure we can deliver this important project for the people of Queensland,” Palaszczuk said.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said that trains between Kuraby and Beenleigh currently share a single track in each direction, which limits the number of peak services that can run each day.

“We know that this project will deliver an abundance of economic and social benefits to the Logan region and for all those who use the rail line to travel between the Gold Coast and Brisbane,” Bailey said.