Farmers say their complaints about Inland Rail have been ignored, labelling the government's consultation process as a political "box-ticking" exercise.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
NSW Farmers member and Junee producer David Carter said there were 18 landholders along the proposed Illabo to Stockingbal line who had complaints, but that Inland Rail had proved resistant to compromise.
"It's either going in one ear and out the other side or its pigeonholed somewhere in a back room somewhere," Mr Carter said.
"They're building the line within this two kilometre corridor, and if there's a better solution just outside this corridor it's not even considered."
He also slammed the lack of transparency around the planning, saying that important details such as the type of fencing still remained unknown even after years of farmer inquiries.
However Mr Carter said that Inland Rail could be good for producers and the region in general "if done right", boosting industries and bringing jobs to the region.
IN OTHER NEWS
A new Inland Rail report estimates that it would bring 670 full-time jobs to the region and around $3.8 billion to the state over the next ten years, with much of it concentrated in centres in Wagga and Parkes.
Member for Riverina Michael McCormack said the report was an encouraging sign for the future of regional industries.
"Inland Rail will deliver unprecedented supply chain efficiencies," Mr McCormack said.
"These efficiencies are going to attract additional investment as industry invests and expands alongside the alignment to take advantage of the lower-cost, greater reliability and faster transit time that Inland Rail provides."
Riverina Labor senator Deborah O'Neill said she welcomed the findings of the report, but said the government had so far delivered a lot of "hot air" and not a lot of action over seven years.
"Michael McCormack and his Liberal National colleagues have had carriage of this for seven years and the final route is still yet to be finalised. There doesn't even seem to be a plan for how goods will even connect from the end of the rail line to ports," Ms O'Neill said.
"Inland rail is too important to regional NSW for the Morrison Government to get wrong. There are still outstanding questions around planning and financing to be answered and I still hear from farmers and property owners in Riverina who say they're being ignored by the man who was elected to represent them, Michael McCormack, and his Government."
Kenji Sato
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
