Inland Rail consultation committee slammed as a ‘fail’ for Brisbane and Logan
A GREENS MP has lashed out at the State Government over the inland rail project, claiming Labor is “unwilling to stand up to big business and the resource industry” and saying their plans could potentially put residents’ health at risk.
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COMMUNITY over coal … it’s that simple, according to Greens MP Michael Berkman.
The Member for Maiwar has lashed out at the Labor State Government for not listening to residents in Brisbane’s south and Logan who are outraged the Inland Rail project will see coal carried through their backyards.
More than 50,000 people will be impacted by the Kagaru to Acacia Ridge section of the 1700km interstate rail line from Melbourne to Brisbane.
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About 280 freight trains will run past homes in Parkinson, Algester and Acacia Ridge, as well as suburbs in Logan, weekly by 2040.
At least 84 of them will be carrying coal.
At the moment about 40 freight trains a week use the existing railway line.
Mr Berkman’s comments come after Member for Algester Leeanne Enoch slammed the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), which is responsible for the design and delivery of the Federal Government project.
Ms Enoch claimed the ARTC had failed to meet the September deadline for implementing a Community Consultative Committee and had not kept the public up to date.
However, Mr Berkman said Ms Enoch had not addressed the issue most important to the community — getting the State and Federal governments to have the Kagaru to Acacia Ridge and Bromelton section of the track declared a co-ordinated project.
That one move would trigger an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) into the project.
“I think it really depends on the State Government and how meaningfully they want to approach this consultation — I mean if the community is universally up in arms about it and no one in the community wants to see it go ahead, what do they do then?” Mr Berkman said.
“Do they just capitulate to the corporate interests that they routinely do or do they actually respond to community concerns even if it comes at a cost to industry.
“And make sure that coal trains are covered and that these impacts from coal dust don’t worsen over time.
“I think the main concern we’ve seen is the lack of consultation is a real issue for the locals.”
Ms Enoch responded to Mr Berkman’s comments by saying: “The Morrison Government and the ARTC could initiate an EIS at any time and have failed to do so, regardless of community concerns.
“The Community Consultative Committee is an important step in ensuring that local residents finally have a vehicle to voice their concerns about the Federal LNP Government’s Inland Rail Project directly to the ARTC — something which they have been unable to do to date.”
Mr Berkman said the potential impact of coal dust on people’s health was unable to be denied.
“The evidence is becoming clearer about the impacts of fine particulates and just how far they can get into people’s lungs,” he said.
“Obviously, it is a slightly different level of exposure from pneumoconiosis (a disease of the lungs due to inhalation of dust, characterised by inflammation, coughing, and fibrosis) that miners suffer but the reappearance of black lung in Queensland tells us all we need to know about the risks that coal dust pose to people’s health.
“The State (Government) could deal with these impacts of coal dust overnight if they decided that coal carriages had to be covered then that would be the new norm but we’ve got a State Government that is unwilling to stand up to big business and the resource industry in particular, even when their actions (could) come at the expense of community wellbeing.”
Despite applying to be part of the CCC, Algester father-of-two Mallory Wuthrich, told the Southern Star he thought it would be a “pointless and toothless talkfest”.
But he knew if he wasn’t on the CCC and able to voice his concerns on behalf of the community, locals would suffer.
“I think they (government) are being calculating,” Mr Wuthrich said.
“They State Government has the legislative mechanisms at their disposal to ensure due diligence is done, by using their powers to designate the route a co-ordinated project and thus force an Environmental Impact Statement (can be done).
“That they continue to say they don’t whilst advocating for a toothless CCC shows they clearly are just paying lip service to residents concerns.”
Mr Wuthrich recalled an IR interview on the ABC a couple of months ago that stated once nominations closed they’d finalise nominations very quickly.
“ … And now they’re delaying?” he said.
“I think maybe they haven’t been able to manage the makeup of the committee to their advantage.”
ARTC has its say
Inland Rail Queensland Stakeholder Engagement Manager Mercedes Staff said: “A number of nominations have come in from the community to be part of this consultative committee and these have been reviewed by an independent organisation for their suitability.
“ARTC has been provided with the results of that assessment and are expecting to be in a position shortly to contact successful nominees. The Committee will meet for the first time in November and logistics are currently being finalised for a venue and date for that meeting,” she said.
“Listening and working with the community is paramount to ARTC delivering the best possible project. We have established similar committees across Queensland and they provide invaluable feedback to us on the Inland Rail project and I look forward to meeting with the new members of the K2ARB Committee and working with them.”
Community Consultative Committee process
Establishment of a Community Consultative Committee for the Federal LNP Government’s Inland Rail Project has dragged over a week past their deadline without any update to the community.
Member for Algester Leeanne Enoch MP said she was disappointed at the inconsistent information being provided to the local community and the delay in establishing the Committee.
“I’m very concerned that local residents near the rail line are still being left in the dark
despite the ARTC agreeing to genuine consultation,” Ms Enoch said.
“This issue is incredibly important to our community, and right now we need reliable, consistent information.
“After seeing the lack of reliable information within our own communities, I, along with Linus Power MP and Charis Mullen MP, lobbied for the Committee to be formed.
“But so far, despite receiving confirmation back in June that the Committee will be formed, we are still waiting and now deadlines are being pushed back.”
Nominations for the committee closed on August 30, 2018 and Ms Enoch’s office was advised by the ARTC that committee members would be confirmed by the end of September, with the first meeting to occur in October 2018.
However, a committee chair and final committee members are yet to be appointed and the ARTC has now informed Ms Enoch’s office that the first meeting will not take place until November.
The Interim Charter states the Committee’s membership will consist of 10 to 15 members as well as an independent chair and that meetings will be held quarterly
What residents think:
Long-time Algester resident Kevin Gray told the Southern Star for the past 39 years he had lived in the same house, only 94m from the existing railway line.
“My family grew up here, went to the local school and enjoyed what the area had to offer,” he said.
“We knew the railway line was there and was aware of the number of trains passing each day. It was minimal and was well-tolerated.
“I, as well as a lot of the community was not aware of the impact the inland rail could have on our lives.
“Most of the residence in this highly-populated area knew of the project, but no details were provided.
“We didn`t even know that it was going along the existing interstate line.
“ … If the inland rail goes ahead along the existing track, coal trains should be excluded for health reasons. Veneering only covers the top section, no protection for sides and floor or load movements. It has been proven in the past that these trains, with all best intentions, does not prevent coal dust from finding its way out, up to 2kms away from the line.”
Acacia Ridge resident Clare Wang, 39, said the rail line was “right next to the back fence”.
“I feel angry about not being informed about the project and the government let it process without public inquiry,” Miss Wang said.
“I am very concerned for my health and for the public. I have a nine-year-old boy and a mum who live with me.
“We’re worried about the health impact this has on us.
“I definitely think that the government should forbid coal from transporting on (the) inland rail.”
Algester resident Barry Petersen said: “The really sad part about the Inland Rail is that if the line had come directly from NSW to Acacia Ridge then trains would have a major time advantage over trucks but instead vested interests have complained and now to go via Toowoomba that major advantage will be lost.”
What do you think? Email: editorial@southern-star.com.au
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