Late Monday night when most politicians were heading home or out to dinner, Federal Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey has continued his efforts to put a human face on the cost of the Government’s decision to axe the Inland Rail project north of Parkes.
Chaffey moved a private member’s motion, seconded by the Member for Riverina, Michael McCormack, calling on the Federal Government to recommit to the full Inland Rail project, including the Parkes-to-Brisbane section through northern New South Wales and the New England region.
Chaffey argued that for communities across the region, Inland Rail represented more than an infrastructure project, promising long-term economic security, jobs, investment and the future of regional industry. That future has now been cast into doubt following the Federal Government’s announcement the project would not proceed north of Parkes.
“For 10 years, families, businesses, organisations and councils have planned their lives and their futures around a project called the Inland Rail,” Chaffey said.
“The project was first proposed in 1998 as a nation-building initiative to take trucks off our roads and to build our freight capacity and to help the progress of regional towns along the route.
“About 10 years ago, the project became a certainty.
“Farms have been bought, businesses have been formed, and industrial parks have been planned and created. Dreams have been built around the Inland Rail.
“Instead, the 960-kilometre stretch from Parkes to Brisbane has now been axed, and thousands of people and businesses have been left in limbo.”
Chaffey challenged Labor’s claims that the decision had been driven by economic considerations.
“In the scramble to find money, this Labor government is not only further limiting the sovereignty of our nation; it is devastating livelihoods, slashing employment, destroying generational businesses and sticking the knife in the backs of regional communities. This is not economics; this is metro-centric selfishness.”
Chaffey spoke on behalf of Narrabri-based company Specialised Civil Services, saying the Government’s announcement came as a major shock to the community.
“This business went from 85 full-time employees plus subcontractors to just 40 full-time staff after the announcement.
“Specialised Civil Services has invested more than $25 million in a quarry business, primarily to service the Inland Rail project. This is just one town. Jobs have been lost, millions of dollars have been lost, and there has been not a word of support from this federal Albanese Labor government.”
Chaffey said director Nick McClure had this message for the Government.
“No warning, no consultation and no consideration—the economic landscape has gone from one of promise and prosperity to uncertainty. I’ve spoken to mayors, business owners, families and farmers. They are bewildered and they are angry.”
Chaffey said local government leaders across the region had also criticised the decision.
Narrabri Mayor Darrell Tiemens described it as “a wasted opportunity to create a nation-building project”, while regional councils warned years of planning and investment could now be lost.
The Moree Special Activation Precinct, designed as a major logistics and agribusiness hub linked to Inland Rail, is now uncertain despite years of planning and significant public investment.
Chaffey said Inland Rail announced on March 2 this year that every New South Wales section of the project had been approved, giving communities confidence it would proceed.
“Now years of funding, years of planning, years of families and businesses going through the extended process of acquisitions, are wasted,” he said.
“People like the Roberts family in Narromine, who had been advised that their land would be acquired, now are left without the ability to make any plans for their future. Years of new precincts, new businesses, new jobs and years of hope—all wasted.”
Chaffey argued the decision carried major consequences for regional Australia.
“There is not only the economic cost but there is a human cost as well. With this announcement, 200,000 trucks will stay on the road annually, transit times will not be cut, freight costs will remain high, emissions will not be reduced, and—last and apparently least in the eyes of this government—jobs, investment and economic growth will suffer in regional Australia.”
“But what loss is this when a Labor government can rip money out of regions and give it to Melbourne, with another $3.8 billion for the Suburban Rail Loop.”
Chaffey’s motion called for the Federal Government to recommit to the project, and he was supported by a number of colleagues including McCormack, and Member for Groom Garth Hamilton, representing the hard hit Toowoomba region where millions of dollars in private investment is now in limbo. Labor MPs also spoke against the motion, continuing their rhetoric that it’s all the Coalition’s fault and the project was a waste of money.
The full Hansard record of the debate is available on the Parliament House website.
Mr Chaffey’s motion
That this House:
- notes that Inland Rail was conceived as a nation-building freight rail project connecting Melbourne and Brisbane through regional Australia;
- recognises that Inland Rail was designed to: (a) reduce freight transit times between Melbourne and Brisbane from around 33 hours to under 24 hours; (b) remove up to 200,000 truck movements from Australian roads annually; (c) improve national fuel security by shifting freight from road to rail; (d) reduce freight costs for Australian producers and consumers; and (e) support jobs, investment and economic growth across regional Australia;
- further notes official modelling shows Inland Rail could: (a) reduce freight transport costs by approximately $213 million annually; and (b) significantly increase rail freight capacity between Melbourne and Brisbane;
- condemns the Government for: (a) cutting and delaying Inland Rail funding; (b) abandoning the original vision of a completed Melbourne-to-Brisbane Inland Rail corridor; and (c) failing regional communities, freight operators, farmers and exporters who were promised a completed national freight corridor; and
- calls on the Government to: (a) commit to completing the full Inland Rail corridor connecting Melbourne to Brisbane; (b) restore certainty around project delivery and funding; and (c) recognise Inland Rail as a critical national productivity, fuel security and regional development project.
Something going on in your part of the New England people should know about? Let us know by emailing newsdesk@netimes.com.au