Inland Rail: Queensland maintains the rage

QUEENSLAND farmers and local government entities have cried foul over the federal government’s decision to truncate the Inland Rail project.

As reported in DCN, the federal government this week announced it would prioritise completing the section between Parkes (NSW) and Beveridge (VIC), delaying the northern link for the immediate future.

The decision was broadly accepted in logistics circles however Queensland transport minister Brent Mickelberg was critical and described the decision as “a missed opportunity”.

In a social media post, the Queensland Farmers Federation described the move as “an incredibly disheartening outcome for regional Australia, especially in the midst of the ongoing fuel crisis which has exposed our reliance on road freight”.

“Inland Rail was set to be a nation building project that would deliver tangible benefits across the country, including increased investment in regional Queensland, particularly the Darling Downs and Southwest Queensland,” the QFF stated.

“Leaving this project unfinished will be worn out as a long-term cost for our country, and particularly our regions. This is a missed opportunity to increase productivity, reduce emissions and transform the way in which we move freight in Australia.”

Toowoomba deputy mayor Rebecca Vonhoff described the outcome as “bitterly disappointing for regional Queensland”. 

“Inland Rail was supposed to be a nation building piece of infrastructure to move freight, to reduce freight travel times, to increase capacity, to reduce congestion and support regional investment,” Dr Vonhoff said.

“Aside from the direct impacts on us, this decision means we’re going to rely on the Warrego Highway and Gore Highway far into the future and so even more congestion and less productivity.”

Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE) chair April Cavanagh said the decision came at a time when Australia should be investing in efficient freight solutions.

“Pulling back from Inland Rail during ongoing fuel cost and supply chain challenges sends the wrong signal to regional businesses and communities,” Ms Cavanagh said.

“Inland Rail was an economic catalyst for the Darling Downs and Southwest, with benefits flowing through agriculture, manufacturing and export supply chains.

Speaking with ABC Brisbane’s Steve Austin this week, federal infrastructure minister Catherine King said it was “always a myth” that the line was going to reach the ports of Melbourne and Brisbane.

“There were absolutely no plans to do that without substantial costs and pain, trying to get double stacked trains through Acacia Ridge,” Ms King said.

“This project was poorly planned, was started without having any idea how it was to get into the Port of Melbourne and how it was getting to get into the Port of Brisbane.”

Ms King told the ABC she had not spoken directly with the Port of Brisbane, but port management were “well aware… that getting Inland Rail to the Port of Brisbane has been a significant challenge”.

“At most, we would have got [the line] through to Gowrie and to Ebenezer. But again, the costs of that… I think that's really just not feasible,” the minister said.

In a press release from Toowoomba Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE), Port of Brisbane, chief executive Neil Stephens said the Port of Brisbane said more than 98% of the port’s container trade was moved by road, whereas many leading international ports moved 20% to 30% of freight by rail.

“We have long advocated for Inland Rail and in particular a dedicated freight connection to the Port of Brisbane, and will continue to do so to support Toowoomba and regional communities,” Mr Stephens said.

“With or without Inland Rail, Australia must work towards moving more freight off roads and onto rail.”