‘Political purposes’ holding up Inland Rail review Toowoomba North Labor candidate claims

A Toowoomba North candidate has claimed politics is holding up the Inland Rail route review.

ON THE RAILS: Construction of the Inland Rail will improve the transportation of agricultural goods in regional towns.

The Toowoomba North Labor candidate at the state election has called on the Federal Government to sign off on the Inland Rail route review.

Councillor Megan O’Hara Sullivan said the project was of vital importance to the region’s future.

“It’s being held up by the Federal Government for political purposes,” she said.

“The Australian Rail Track Corporation can’t gazette the route until the Federal Government approves the route.

“I am calling on David Janetzki and Trevor Watts to call on the Federal Government to approve the route.”

After years of pressure from landholders in the Maranoa electorate, the Federal Government in May announced it would re-examine the proposed state border to Gowrie route of the Inland Rail project, which travelled across the Condamine Floodplain.

Residents and landholders on the Condamine Floodplain between Millmerran and Brookstead have long opposed the proposed route, warning the current path would exacerbate flooding.

The review was set to examine moving the route slightly west through state forestry.

Earlier this month a spokesman for Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack confirmed the review was being finalised, though no date was given to when it would be published.

Cr O’Hara Sullivan said the delays had to end.

“This is a critical project that is going to create thousands of local jobs,” she said.

“At a time when we talk about nation-building infrastructure, this will completely change Toowoomba.

“David Janetzki and Trevor Watts have to put pressure on their federal LNP counterparts to approve the route.”