Mallee: Federal election candidates go head to head at Mildura forum

It’s been on Mildura’s wishlist for years, but what do the Mallee candidates think of getting passenger rail to north-west Victoria.

Mallee’s federal election candidates have blamed the state government for not reinstating the passenger rail in Mildura, but vowed to not give up the fight.

The passenger rail was discussed at a candidates forum on Monday night hosted by The Sunraysia Daily.

Five of the eight candidates in attendance agreed bringing back a passenger rail to Mildura was an important issue however Federal MP for Mallee Anne Webster, said despite fighting for funding, the project was the responsibility of the state government.

“Since stepping into the role I have fought for and got $200 million for the Murray Basin Rail project. The way our wonderful federal system works is that we give that $200 million to the state government who then action it and operationalise it, the federal government doesn’t control that funding,” she said.

Federal MP Anne Webster speaks at the forum in Mildura.

Dr Webster said the possibility of bringing passenger rail to Mildura would be difficult.

“Sadly the rail system itself has had an auditor general report by the Victorian government which has shown it to be lacking in terms of cost, time and completing the project. That hinders any possibility of passenger rail because if we can’t get the freight in then the passenger can’t as well,” she said.

She added: “Again the state government is responsible for passenger rail and that is the way that the system works.”

Stuart King at the forum in Mildura.

However, United Australia Party candidate Stuart King accused Dr Webster of “handballing” the project to the state government.

He said it could happen if “political football” stopped.

“We have a plan to fund infrastructure. I will be advocating strongly for the Murray Basin Rail project. Which will then enable the possibility of passenger rail back to Mildura. That’s part of the plan to connect the railway in Australia,” he said.

“What we need to do significantly is break down these federal/state barriers that impede doing these sorts of projects.”

Independent candidate, Claudia Haenel, said she would fight hard to “leverage” better rail connection for the people of the Mallee electorate.

“It is an issue and as an independent sitting on the crossbench that is absolutely what we should be leveraging and negotiating for in all our communities because we live in the largest electorate in the state we need to be more connected,” she said.

Claudia Haenel is running as an independent candidate for the electorate of Mallee.

Sophie Baldwin is running as an independent candidate for the electorate of Mallee.

The passenger rail was withdrawn from Mildura in September 1993.

For it to be returned safety measures would need to be upgraded at 145 level crossings.

The new service would need to run on Standard Gauge rail line to be compatible with the impending New Generation Regional Train.

Chris Lahy is the Mallee candidate for the Australian Citizens party.

Chris Lahy, candidate for the Australian Citizens Party, said the only way to bring the rail back would be through “enormous amounts of money”.

“We need to have a funding system that will come directly from the federal government by a credit bank that will fund this to its completion,” he said.