THE happy family approach the Queensland government has taken with its federal Coalition counterpart has hit another snag, after the Commonwealth froze its funds for the second Toowoomba range crossing - and the state government doesn't know why.
The project was all but set in stone. The federal and state governments announced an 80-20 funding plan for the $1.6 billion project, which had been a pre-election promise from Tony Abbott.
Three construction proponents had been short-listed, with the state government requesting further information from each tender on Wednesday. Construction was to have been completed in the second half of 2018.
But the federal government has seemingly had a change of heart and has since requested a review of the project, freezing its funding in the mean time.
Treasurer Tim Nicholls said he was "disappointed".
"The Queensland government does remain committed to delivering this project, we've got $342 million in our budget," he said.
"We have been working very hard to make sure the paperwork is in place and we can get going in building this vital project for Toowoomba, the Darling Downs, and the Surat.
"So we are quite shocked to receive a letter yesterday saying the federal government is not going to proceed with the funding."
Mr Nicholls said he had written to Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss, "asking him to intervene so we can get over this hurdle and start work".
"We are unsure as to why this has happened," he said.
"We have been working with the department and in fact, only yesterday, my under-treasurer offered to send two officers from Treasury to go down to work with the department to go through all the projects, to go through all the information that we have provided and to take them through the model again.
"We are quite disturbed over what the reason is. It hasn't been made clear to us."
But Mr Nicholls said the state's relationship with its federal government remained strong.
"Friends often have debates and talk their way through things and I am quite hopeful that we will be able to talk our way through these types of things and overcome this hurdle."
But Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said the people of Toowoomba deserved certainty.
"I have been surprised to hear that perhaps the federal government is withdrawing their funding," she said.
"This federal government and state government have been cutting the ribbons and singing their praises about slapping each other on the backs about this major achievement - have they deceived the people of Toowoomba?"
Mr Nicholls reiterated that the government "remained committed" to the project and did not rule out approaching the private sector if new arrangements couldn't be made with the federal government.
