The Sunshine Coast mayor has called on the federal government to back a range of major initiatives in the region ahead of the 2032 Games.
Rosanna Natoli urged the powers that be to allocate money in the 2026–27 Federal Budget for local infrastructure, housing and homelessness support, transport, and coastal protection projects.
Her appeal coincided with a visit to the region by Senator for Queensland Corinne Mulholland.
“The Sunshine Coast is entering a transformative decade, and we need the right infrastructure in place to support our residents, attract investment and also prepare for the opportunities of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Cr Natoli said.
“Council’s immediate priorities remain clear: improving our roads and public transport; delivering essential community infrastructure; helping address the housing crisis and driving economic opportunities in education, industry and tourism.
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“We are also deeply committed to protecting our coastline and community assets from the very real impacts of weather and climate change.
“But we cannot do this alone. We need a strong partnership with the Australian government, and restoring financial assistance grants to at least 1 per cent of federal taxation revenue would be an excellent first step.”
The council submitted a range of priorities to the federal government.
The main ones include: a $162 million regional indoor community sports centre, to meet soaring demand for indoor sports, after plans for a centre at Kawana were derailed; funding for Stages 2 and 3 of The Wave public transport system and a business case to upgrade the Bruce Highway to six lanes between Steve Irwin Way and Caloundra Road; investment in social, affordable and supportive housing; allocating $160 million for community housing providers and $120 million for crisis and transitional accommodation; major coastal resilience upgrades, including the Diamond Head Seawall and Bradman Avenue Revetment Wall; and $8 million for the Nambour (Namba) Streetscape Improvement Project, supporting the town’s ongoing revitalisation.
With more than 518,000 people expected to call the Sunshine Coast home by 2041, the mayor said federal partnership was vital to ensure infrastructure, services and communities are ready for the future.
“We thank the Australian Government for considering our 2026–27 Federal Budget submission and look forward to working in partnership to deliver the projects our community needs,” she said.
“Our community deserves a region that is connected, liveable and thriving – and achieving this will require the right support from the Australian government.”
Senator Mulholland said her visit allowed her to see where and how the federal government’s $3.4 billion investment into Olympic infrastructure will be invested on the Sunshine Coast.
“My priority is understanding how these projects will benefit locals into the future, to ensure there’s a legacy infrastructure benefit for Sunshine Coast communities for generations to come,” she said.
“The Albanese Government has committed $12.4 billion to invest in transport projects in Queensland to keep our state moving after the games, and specifically for the Sunshine Coast we have committed $2.75 billion for Stage 1 of the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line, which represents the main part of The Wave.
“I commend the council for being on the front foot with their pre-Budget submission ahead of the 2026-27 Budget in May, ensuring the Sunshine Coast will be front of mind for the Treasurer.”
