Greens MP Michael Berkman will on Wednesday introduce the “AirTrain Buy Back Bill” to Queensland Parliament, calling on the State to end the private contract early.
More than 3,400 people have signed MP Michael Berkman’s petition to bring the AirTrain into public hands.
Greens MP for Maiwar Michael Berkman:
“We’re sick of waiting. If AirTrain’s corporate owners won’t come to the table, Parliament must legislate to ditch the contract.
“Every day that passes with the AirTrain in private hands is a loss to Queenslanders. We could have a new station at DFO and trains every 15 minutes, but the private operators are blocking progress.
“AirTrain’s corporate, foreign owners are charging sky-high prices, blocking public transport upgrades, dodging tax, and now suing Queensland over our wildly popular 50c fares.
“There’s no legal or constitutional reason the Government can’t legislate to extinguish the deed with AirTrain.
“For anyone worried about the risk of ending a contract early, I ask you this: do we want Queensland to have a reputation as a state of suckers, where greedy multinational corporations can play us like a fiddle?
“Companies looking to invest in Queensland should be clear that we’re not open for raw deals.
“At this point it’s plain negligence to allow the AirTrain operators another 10 years charging ridiculous fares for a crappy service, especially if Brisbane’s hosting the Olympics in 2032.
“Our bill links the compensation amount for the AirTrain buyback to the corporate owners’ own valuation. It would cost just over $46 million - for reference, that’s about a fifth of the cost of a single road upgrade, or less than a quarter of the Government’s handouts to the racing industry this year alone.
“This terrible deal, which was announced by Labor and signed by the LNP, never should’ve been made.
“Public transport belongs in public hands.”
Background
AirTrain
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The AirTrain is subject to a BOOT agreement with the State Government, which gives them total control over fares and a veto on additional public transport services to the airport until it expires in 2036.
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The deal was proposed by Labor, with Premier Wayne Goss commencing private tenders, and signed off by the L/NP under Premier Rob Borbidge.
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Annual financial reports of AirTrain’s parent company, USS Axle, value the AirTrain contract at just over $45 million in 2025-26. This is the value of the “service concession” afforded by the contract with the Government. It is different from an independent market valuation, but given it represents the value of the contract itself, the Greens believe it is reasonable compensation for early termination.
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USS Axle’s financial reports also show AirTrain has paid zero income tax in the last decade.
Greens bill
The Brisbane Airport Rail Link (Airtrain) Buy Back Bill 2026 requires the government to implement legislation within 3 months that:
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Terminates the Brisbane Airport Rail Link Deed, with compensation limited to the company’s valuation of the service concession intangible asset ($46.6 million in 2025-26)
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Transfers operation of the Brisbane Airport Rail Link to the Queensland Rail Transit Authority and limits fares to 50c or less
Greens proposals to improve the AirTrain
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Increase frequency to every 15 mins all day, with trains starting earlier and finishing later
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Build a new station at Skygate for the thousands of airport precinct workers
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Scrap the Metro bus to the airport, which would rip up the Doomben train line
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Finally fund the long-delayed Gold Glider and extend it to the airport