The federal government’s inland rail project in facing more problems, with farmers concerned about tracks running through their properties, and an alleged lack of transparency on how preferred routes are being chosen.
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Inland rail is a $10 billion dollar national project to build a rail network to transport freight between Brisbane and Melbourne.
MIA farmers had pushed for inland rail to go through Narrandera, but the federal government opted for a cheaper route through Wagga and Albury.
The ARTC is currently selecting routes for various sections of the rail network, with NSW Farmers slamming them for failing to release statistics and economic modelling justifying their nomination of a preferred route for the Narromine and Narrabri leg.
Narromine resident Jennifer Knop is organising a local petition, calling for a change to the ARTC’s chosen route on the grounds it disturbs the serenity.
She said residents within the corridor were “absolutely devastated” by the possibility of a rail line running through their property, or close enough to disturb the serenity that attracted them to the area.
“These are all of our premier estates. These are the things that bring people into Narromine to live in a lifestyle community, with a little nucleus that is Narromine, and then these outlying quasi-villages.”
Her petition, which calls on the government to change the route of the Inland Rail study corridor through Narromine, has attracted more than 450 signatures in three days.
An ARTC information session at Narromine in December attracted about 250 people, many of whom were upset by the lack of consultation by the ARTC.
The ARTC have denied they’re not being transparent enough.
“ARTC has made publicly available a number of detailed reports which outline the significant data and analysis that fed into the Government’s confirmation of the final study area for Narromine to Narrabri,” ARTC CEO and Managing Director John Fullerton said.
NSW Farmers president Dick Schoen is not convinced, and called for the Australian Government to step in and force the ARTC to be fully transparent with the community.
“Out of sheer frustration, NSW Farmers has lodged Freedom of Information requests with the Australian Government and the ARTC in a desperate bid to get to the bottom of this issue. The inland rail and the benefits it brings to regional New South Wales are simply too important, and the impact on land holders too significant, to be brushed aside by the actions of an arrogant and out of touch agency of the Australian Government.”