Inland Rail Senate Inquiry chairman meets with rail group over concerns
After they were unable to secure a meeting yesterday with Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, landholders were able to express their concerns to the chair of the Senate Inquiry into Inland Rail.
Toowoomba
Don't miss out on the headlines from Toowoomba. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Members of the Millmerran Rail Group met with the chair of the Senate Inquiry into Inland Rail in Toowoomba yesterday morning.
Chair of the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee Senator Glenn Sterle, together with Senator Anthony Chisholm and Labor candidate for Groom Chris Meibusch met with landholders to discuss the Inland Rail project.
MRG chairman Wes Judd said he and members of the rail group had “a good morning” and “we’ve been able to map out where we think a lot of issues still lie and that’s all we’ve ever tried to do”.
“We’ve never had the intent of holding (the Inland Rail project) up in any way shape or form. I know we get accused of that often,” he said.
“But as of today there are still many unresolved issues with this in our section. The project overall will be hampered if they’re not addressed.”
The Millmerran Rail Group had hoped to meet with Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack during his visit to Toowoomba on Monday, but that was not possible.
The group has concerns over a review of an alternate forestry route requested by Mr McCormack.
Mr McCormack said it was time to get on with building the project.
The MRG’s biggest concern remains the Government’s chosen route and its crossing of the Condamine floodplain, which in its current form they believe has the potential to exacerbate flooding in the area.
“After the announcement yesterday that they could stay wedded to the line they want to stay on through Millmerran and through the floodplain – we’ve still got huge issues outstanding with hydrology and with modelling with that hydrology and that then leads to design issues and at the end of the day a project that’s not fit for purpose to negotiate that floodplain,” Mr Judd said.
“That’s our biggest issue. So safety and cost are huge in regard to that.”
The Australian Rail Track Corporation has confidence in its design of the route’s floodplain crossing and its hydrological modelling.
Fraudster given firm push after asking to delay sentence
A man convicted of defrauding the government out of more than $20,000 was warned about seeking to further delay his sentencing.
POWERED UP: Controversial wind farm begins powering Queenslanders
A controversial wind farm project in southwest Queensland has taken a major leap forward, announcing 27 of 162 turbines have begun producing renewable energy to help power the state. Find out when the project will be fully operational here.
‘She doesn’t care’: Convicted violent kidnapper has judge at wits’ end
A woman who laughed while a man was beaten and burned before her had a Queensland judge seething over her ‘blatant disregard’ for the law.
Unique orchestral concert music to Toowoomba region’s ears
Toowoomba residents are in for an unforgettable treat as the Queensland Symphony Orchestra prepares for their first outdoor concert – the only time all 80 musicians will come together for a night under the stars at Queens Park. See why it’s an unmissable concert here.
Qld election: Who is running in Toowoomba seats in 2024
The 2024 state election campaign is just a few days old but Toowoomba and Darling Downs voters already have more than 15 candidates to choose from across four seats. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW HERE:
One woman holds the key to solving 50-year-old double murder
It has been 50 years since two nurses, Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans, were murdered at the bottom of the Toowoomba Range, and despite two Coronial Inquests, the answer to who did it lays with mysterious woman who has never been identified.