Federal Government Releases Inland Rail Business Case
Deputy Chair of the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail Association (MBIRA), Deputy Mayor Cr Sue Price said the release of the Inland Rail Business Case and Delivery Plan by the Inland Rail Implementation Group, “represents a very important step in realising the benefits that the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail will bring to Australia.”
The Implementation Group is headed by former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson AO, and assisted by the Australian Rail Track Corporation. “MBIRA's aim has always been to have the Inland Rail built to modern standards, increasing capacities and efficiencies in the freight task to be a corridor of opportunity," Deputy Mayor Price said.
"It was pleasing to see a high level of stakeholder engagement throughout the process and it is wonderful to see that this engagement has identified the positive net economic benefit that this project will bring to the nation and especially to regional areas in Queensland, NSW and Victoria."
Cr Price went onto say, "we welcome the news that 16,000 direct jobs will be created during the 10-year construction period and a further 600 jobs will be created upon operation".
"The report indicates that the Inland Rail will enable farmers to move agriculture products more efficiently to capital cities and ports for export, as it will pass through some of Australia's most productive farming country. Naturally, MBIRA also recognises the supply chain efficiencies for commercial freight, benefits to consumers and to regional areas that the Inland Rail will bring," added Cr Price.
“MBIRA thanks the Government for their commitment to Inland Rail and encourages both sides of Government to keep the momentum rolling on this iconic nation building project to ensure that it becomes a corridor of opportunity," Cr Price concluded.