Taxpayer-funded work on tramline sparks backlash as large crew spotted

DAILYMAIL.COM • 57m ago

By BURNEY WONG – NEWS REPORTER 01:14 20 Oct 2026, updated 01:16 20 Oct 2026

Australians on social media have questioned the number of workers seen carrying out maintenance work on a busy Queensland highway.

Footage shared by social media page Baltus Brothers appeared to show at least eight workers walking along the tramline outside the Silverton Apartments on the Gold Coast Highway on Friday.

About half of the group, all wearing orange high-vis clothing, used blower devices to clear debris, while others were seen walking alongside them without machines.

The person recording could be heard saying: ‘Can someone tell me why you need 12 blokes to whipper snipper a railway?’

The Daily Mail understands the workers are contractors belonging to GoldLinQ, which was awarded the contract to build and operate the light rail system in partnership with the state and federal governments along with the City of Gold Coast.

Some social media users commented on the video, saying the number of workers on site appeared excessive.

‘Good use of our tax dollars,’ one person said, while a second user added: ‘One worker for each blade of grass.’

Another Australian said: ‘Australian Winter Olympics curling team practice.’

Others defended the number of workers on site, suggesting some may have been present for safety reasons.

‘Three people brush cutting, three people spraying weeds and a spotter for each side, simple to see really,’ one user said.

Another person said: ‘Efficiency mate. Tram lines can’t be down for a long time so they double the workforce to get it done.’

‘And if they let the weeds grow you’d whinge about that,’ a third social media user added.

The City of Gold Coast and GoldLinQ have both been contacted by the Daily Mail for comment.

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