Labor's Gladstone Inland Rail Promise Off Rails
Federal Member for Flynn, Colin Boyce has joined with Queensland Senator Matt Canavan to call out the Albanese Labor Government, which has seemingly abandoned the extension of inland rail to the Port of Gladstone.
In Senate Estimates, it was revealed that the Department of Infrastructure spent $4.8 million on completing a business case for the inland rail extension, which was completed in January 2024 and has not progressed under the Labor Government since.
During questioning, Senator Canavan revealed that the Labor Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Senator Chisholm, who spruiked the project ahead of the 2022 federal election, has not even read the business case.
While speaking to locals in Gladstone in 2021, Senator Chisholm said "The proposal to extend it to Gladstone is an interesting one and would bring many benefits. It would help alleviate some of the problems in southern Queensland with the current route while also helping support the Gladstone Port's long-term growth and the local economy."
Senator Canavan said he was shocked that once Labor were elected to government, they have seemingly dropped the project and forgotten about Central Queensland altogether.
"It is shocking that after two years, the Assistant Minister for Regional Development has not even bothered to read the business case for this project that he spruiked to Central Queenslanders," Senator Canavan said.
"This Labor Government is very good at turning up to places and talking a big game without actually delivering. They just don't do the work."
Federal Member for Flynn, Colin Boyce said actions speak louder than words and that it's time for the Inland Rail project to be extended to the Port of Gladstone.
"Labor says one thing in rural and regional Australia and another in Canberra," Mr Boyce said.
"It is beyond disappointing that Labor's own Assistant Minister for Regional Development hasn't even done the advocacy or work to bring this critical freight route to the Port of Gladstone.
"The numerous studies that have been undertaken on the Inland Rail project has shown that it will transform how goods are moved around Australia, generating opportunities for the regions and the economy including in the Flynn electorate, now and well into the future.
"Modelling from the CSIRO shows that Inland Rail has the potential to reduce national freight transport costs by close to $213 million each year across 22 million tonnes of freight. This will result in significant savings for businesses and industries that use the line and further drive the growth of regional Australia.
"The potential cost reductions cover more than 12,000 supply chains and 94 commodities, including coal, steel, grains, vehicles, horticulture and livestock."
Mr Boyce and Senator Canavan are calling on the Albanese Labor Government to release the business case publicly, especially if senior Ministers won't even read it.
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