Farmers’ fears over impact of inland rail line

Senate launches inquiry into inland rail connecting NSW to Melbourne and Sydney as Labor claims the project has “turned farmer against farmer”.

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The proposed route of Australia’s ambitious inland rail project connecting NSW to Melbourne and Brisbane will be scrutinised in an inquiry following concerns from the state’s farmers.

The management of the $10 billion rail project by the Australian Rail Track Corporation and the Commonwealth will be investigated in a wide ranging 12-month review by the

Senate’s rural and regional affairs and transport committee.

Landowners are concerned about the proposed route.

NSW Farmers chief executive Peter Arkle said many landholders were concerned about the current planned route and feared a proposed app to track trains so graziers can safely get stock to cross the rail line won’t work in areas of mobile black spots.

“Our members across the corridor through NSW have had longstanding concerns with the way that this rail has been progressing and have a lot of unanswered questions as to why decisions have been taken that will have a really profound effect on fourth of fifth generation farmers in some cases,” he said.

Financial arrangements, route planning and selections, connections with freight infrastructure such as ports, regional economy and job opportunities and government collaboration will be examined in the inquiry, which was proposed by Labor.

Labor’s infrastructure spokeswoman Catherine King said the opposition supported inland rail but held “deep concerns” the government had failed to address fundamental planning and finance questions.

Farmers fear an app with information about train times will not work in rural black spots.

“The Deputy Prime Minister is failing to adequately consult on the Inland Rail route, turning farmer against farmer, community against community,” he said.

“There are widespread concerns the Government won’t see an adequate return to justify its “off-budget” $8.4 billion equity injection.”

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the government was confident it had the right route for the “once in a generation” infrastructure project.

“The government remains sensitive to community concern and we will continue to listen to those concerns,” he said.

“While we are committed to working to engaging openly and transparently with any Parliamentary inquiry, this government is getting on with delivering this project, something Labor never could, and we will continue working with state and territory governments and stakeholders to ensure this project keeps moving.”

Michael McCormack said the government was confident it had the right route. Picture: ARTC

Originally published as Farmers’ fears over impact of inland rail line