Karen Andrews denies personal interest drove light rail ‘backflip’
A Gold Coast MP who withdrew support for a light rail extension on the Gold Coast says personal interest wasn’t a factor in the change of heart.
Karen Andrews has called for a stop on an extension of the rail that would run along the Gold Coast Highway but hasn’t provided suggestions for an alternate route.
She argues the plan would require the main road to be reduced to one lane, which has been widely panned by residents in the area.
Supporters of the project have suggested Ms Andrews’ Palm Beach investment property, located along the proposed route, prompted her withdrawal of support.
It’s a claim the Home Affairs Minister has chalked up to “muckraking” and categorically denied.
Karen Andrews: “The locals who would be affected by the light rail going down the Gold Coast Highway have been trying for years to get the state Labor government to listen to them.”
Neil Breen: “I see that you’ve got an investment property on the Gold Coast Highway, I think it’s at Palm Beach, and that’s being used against you in the argument here.
“But you’ve had that declared on the register for like, a decade.”
Karen Andrews: “It was declared when I first went into parliament so it is one the public record.
“It’s just muckraking, quite frankly.”
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