[QLD] Brisbane Light Rail?

[Colin Weaver <weaver@powerup.com.au>]

Does anyone know what has happened to the Brisbane Light Rail project? 
The winning tender was supposed to be announced by April, with
construction underway by May, but *absolutely nothing* has happened.

On March 10 I was told by a QLD Transport representative that the BLR
website would be relaunched, with a new design and details of the
winning bid WITHIN TWO WEEKS - this has not happened.

More recently, there has been a lot of negative publicity in the Courier
Mail, with a report that the QLD branch of the Property Council of
Australia has written to the Federal Treasurer requesting that the
federal funding for BLR be diverted to improved bus transport an the
Light Rail scrapped - the same article also claimed that the PCoA was
liasing with the RACQ to lobby the State & Federal Governments for
scrapping of all Light Rail plans for Brisbane.

Today there was another article in the CM, mainly talking about changes
to the Lang Park stadium plan, which also talked about "... highlights
continuing confusion about whether the State Government and Brisbane
City Council will produce the often-mooted light rail system for
Brisbane's inner suburbs."

In resonse to all this, I emailed the BLR team asking for a progress
update, and so far have received no response ...

Do any aus.railers know whether BLR is still a goer, or is it about to
go the way of BrizTram and the Kippa Ring line in favour or more b***dy
buses.

cheers,
Colin