THE long-awaited SEQ City Deal delivered on one major infrastructure project for Ipswich with a $10 million commitment between three levels of government for studies on the Ipswich to Springfield Central Public Transport Corridor.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison met with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and the SEQ Council of Mayors in Brisbane after signing the City Deal, announcing a joint commitment to deliver $1.8 billion worth of infrastructure for the region.

The big winner was a $450 million commitment to the Gabba Brisbane Metro Station to improve linkages between cross-river rail and the Brisbane Metro at the Woolloongabba 2032 Olympic venue.

The Federal government and Brisbane City Council will build the $190.2 million Kangaroo Point Green Bridge.

Logan City Council attracted Federal and State funding for a $45 million deal for the Loganlea/Meadowbrook precinct.

Redland City Council attracted $41 million to upgrade the Ferry Terminal on North Stradbroke.

The $10 million for the southeast’s fastest growing city Ipswich will fund both the Options Analysis and Detailed Business Case to move the Ipswich to Springfield Central Public Transport Corridor (I2S) to shovel-ready status.

Mayor Teresa Harding said the I2S commitment was one of several announced for Ipswich as part of this week’s $1.8 billion SEQ City Deal signing, delivering $28 million in local investment plus access to more than $400 million in regional funding pools.

In addition to $10 million for the I2S Options Analysis and Detailed Business Case, Ipswich will share in funding across the region for:

• Resources recovery infrastructure ($105 million), including a Materials Recovery Facility for the Sub Regional Waste Alliance (an initiative of Ipswich, Logan and Redland councils);
• The Resilient Rivers Initiative ($40 million), a regional catchment management program delivering investment into key waterways including the Bremer and Brisbane rivers; and
• An allocation of more than $12 million for Ipswich City Council as part of the SEQ Liveability Fund.

Cr Harding said this week’s announcement represented the first tranche of commitments for a City Deal that would span the next 20 years.

“We are excited to see the Ipswich to Springfield Central Public Transport Corridor recognised as a critical project for the south-east, and look forward to watching this project and many more come to life over the next two decades of the SEQ City Deal,” Cr Harding said.

The SEQ City Deal is a 20-year partnership between the Australian Government, Queensland Government and 11 councils of the Council of Mayors (SEQ), which provides a shared commitment to transform SEQ and deliver region-shaping infrastructure.

It will deliver a significant foundation investment of more than $1.8 billion that will generate thousands of local jobs, boost digital and transport connectivity, enhance liveability and support one of the fastest growing regions in the country.

The SEQ Mayors initiated the push for a City Deal for South East Queensland in 2014, as a way to drive economic growth in the region and enable a successful 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.