Off track on vital link
YOUR editorial ( TB, December 21 “Rail line next on to do list) is a very timely reminder of the major threat to our city after water security.
Everyone – including government – is fully aware that the Townsville to Mount Isa rail line provides a vital link for the North West Province minerals to be exported from the Port of Townsville. Yet it has been allowed to deteriorate for decades. Why is this so when the line enables the state to earn billions of dollars in mining royalties?
There appears to be many inconsistencies and poor business decisions on the part of politicians of all persuasions over many years.
On one hand we have the current State Treasurer saying ( TB, December 21) that her government’s vision is to make the Port of Townsville “the most competitive and efficient multicargo port anywhere in Australia”.
Yet on the other hand lack of essential investment in the rail line threatens the main source of the port’s export business. Over several decades the capacity of the rail line has declined during a period when demand has increased. Traditional commodities such as cattle have been rejected by rail authorities for years. The slack is being increasingly taken up by road transport at great cost to road maintenance and road safety.
The average speed possible continues to decrease to its current 40km/ h during a time when other rail speeds around Australia and the world increase. So what is the State Government doing?
Here are three examples: 1. Townsville Eastern Access Rail Corridor ( TEARC). This is an initiative of the Port of Townsville supported by all other local and Mount Isa authorities to undertake works to enable longer and more frequent trains to access the port. TEARC has a $ 3 million price tag. In 2015 the Federal Government committed $ 150 million on condition the State Government put up the same amount. What is the state doing? So far, a “study” – which started in 2015. 2. Rail line upgrade. An election promise of $ 5 million per annum for five years. This is about $ 5000 per kilometre per annum. Is it for upgrade works or simply maintenance? 3. Mount Isa to Tennant Creek new rail connection. The state has contributed to the feasibility study cost. Why? I do not know what level of upgrade is required or what it will cost. But to give one estimate, the final 155km stretch of the Pacific Motorway from Woolgoolga to Ballina crossing many large rivers and low- lying country will cost $ 4.3 billion.
Perhaps a similar investment would provide a first class standard gauge rail line to enable the North West Minerals Province to continue to thrive, the Port of Townsville to continue to be a competitive and efficient port and the state to continue to receive its billions of dollars in mining royalties.
It is a lot of money. One source of funds could be the redirection of the $ 5.4 billion cost of the unloved and unnecessary cross Brisbane River rail tunnel. COLIN HARKNESS,
Townsville.