The Griffith Business Chamber has cried foul over Wagga’s state and federal funding for the Bomen freight hub, but locals say the project is beyond reproach.
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It comes after the state government committed $13.2 million to the Riverina Intermodal Freight and Logistics (RIFL) Hub, rounding out $14.5 million from the federal government and $30 million from Wagga council.
Griffith Business Chamber president Pat Pittavino said the money would have been better spent developing existing intermodal freight hubs in Widgelli and Wumbulgal.
“Wagga’s already had companies go bankrupt getting the RIFL Hub up, council’s spending millions putting in infrastructure, but nobody's yet explained where the freight's coming from and how it's commercially viable,” Mr Pittavino said.
“Wagga does not have the quantity of freight that needs to move from road onto rail to get a commercial benefit.
“Griffith is the home of the big industry like Casella, Baiada, De Bortoli, rice growers, cotton gins, fruit packing houses, juice plants; all with more than 100 people working in them.
“Griffith consumes 30 per cent more power than Wagga, using it for industry.”
In a thinly veiled attack at Griffith’s state parliamentarian, Adrian Piccoli, Mr Pittavino said his city was envious of Wagga MP Daryl Maguire.
“Even if the RIFL Hub doesn't stack up 100 per cent, you've got an MP who's fought the good fight,” Mr Pittavino said.
Mr Pittavino claimed freight generated by Wagga companies like Graincorp, Teys, JBS Swift, Riverina Oils and BioEnergy (ROBE), Heinz Watties, Austrak and BOC gases did not compare to food bowl commodities.
Committee 4 Wagga (C4W) CEO Chris Fitzpatrick said the final decision came down to an independent Regional Intermodal Taskforce led by former army chief Ken Gillespie and former National Farmers Federation president Jock Laurie.
“Within the last year there was more than 100 submissions to government to establish intermodals in NSW,” Mr Fitzpatrick said.
“The government created an independent body to distance politics from the decision.
“That independent task force gave Bomen the tick.”
Council’s commercial freight hub partner, Genesee and Wyoming Australia, will publicly outline its business plan to compete with Patrick in Bomen and Qube in Harefield in early July.
