Logan mayor Darren Power under fire after slamming Inland Rail for delays
A federal MP has told a local council mayor ‘to get his facts right’ after the mayor slammed the federal government over Inland Rail delays.
Logan
Don't miss out on the headlines from Logan. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A southeast council mayor who slammed delays in a Senate inquiry into the Inland Rail has come under fire from the federal government and a federal MP.
■ MAYOR SLAMS INLAND RAIL DELAYS
■ CALL TO EXPAND INLAND RAIL REVIEW TO SOUTHERN AREAS
■ INLAND RAIL SENATE INQUIRY LETTER
Logan City Council mayor Darren Power yesterday slammed the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Reference committee after it postponed its reporting until February.
“The federal government’s view is that the project is a fait accompli, but I will not sit idly by and allow the ARTC to bulldoze their way through our city without putting up a fight,” Cr Power said.
But this morning, Forde MP Bert van Manen said Cr Power “needs to get his facts right”.
“The reason the Senate inquiry was delayed in reporting until to February next year has nothing to do with the federal government,” Mr van Manen said.
“The committee is chaired by Labor Senator Glenn Sterle and Labor, the Greens and the crossbench have the numbers.
“Senator Sterle requested the extension and it was never a request from the federal government – it had nothing to do with the government so the mayor’s facts are completely and utterly wrong and he should get them right.”
The committee voted to extend reporting from November 11 to February next year.
The Inland Rail line, which is designed to one day carry double-stacked freight trains and uncovered coal, will run through some of southeast Queensland’s most populated areas.
Plans suggest 230,000 Logan residents will be living within a 3km zone of the track by 2041.
Cr Power said the February postponement was despite an announcement in June by Prime Minister Scott Morrison to fast-track the project.
“It's ‘not good enough’ that Logan residents have been left in the dark due to yet another delay,” he said.
“Council has expressed concerns since 2016 regarding the K2ARB section of Inland Rail and the catastrophic impacts on our city.
“This route was selected without consultation and residents did not get an opportunity
to influence route selection or offer alternatives.
Cr Power said the establishment of a Community Consultative Committee was a positive step even though the public was not barred from engaging.
Forestdale resident Suz Corbett, who is on the committee, said she was looking forward to the outcome from next week’s Estimates and congratulated the Logan mayor for taking a hard line stance.
“There are 50,000 residents along this line who feel totally forgotten and neglected so it’s nice that our frustrations are being heard by our mayor but it would be even better if the Deputy Prime Minister and state representatives listened as well.”
Timeline of delays
September 17, 2019: The Senate moved that the management of the Inland Rail project by the ARTC be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by September 30, 2020.
June 11, 2020: The Senate granted an extension of time to report until November 11, 2020.
September 30, 2020: The Senate granted a further extension of time to report until February 11, 2021.