Plea for continued rail support

Ararat Rural City Council has joined a chorus of groups calling for the state and federal governments to continue to fund the stricken Murray Basin Rail Project.

The $440-million project aimed to aid grain, wine, fruit, mineral sands and other producers in Victoria’s Murray basin by improving and standardising rail infrastructure between the region and ports such as Portland, Geelong and Melbourne.

The project ran aground last month after running out of money, prompting State Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allen to put it on hold.

Ms Allen said the State Government would review the business case for the project before committing to any further funding.

Ararat Rural City Council chief executive Dr Tim Harrison said it was disappointing to hear work on the project had ceased.

He said the project had potential to help agribusinesses and manufacturers in the region get their product to ports.

He said it would also reduce supply chain costs and boost the municipality’s economic output.

Dr Harrison said with Victorian freight volumes predicted to more than double by 2050, increasing rail freight options was vital.

“The cost of moving goods is a substantial component of overall production costs for many industries, accounting for up to 30 percent,” he said.

“Rail is a cost-effective freight option and Victoria must get the investment right.”

Dr Harrison said the Ararat to Maryborough line section of the project had been fully funded, but the section travelling through Maroona to Portland had not.

“The Maroona to Portland section of the line is very important for our municipality as it connects directly to an export port,” he said.

“Ararat Rural City Council is keen for this project to go ahead and we appeal to both levels of government to fully fund the project.”

Dr Harrison’s call echoed that of the Rail Freight Alliance, RFA, which created a ‘Save Our Tracks’ fighting fund to ensure the project is completed.

The RFA slammed the State Government’s handling of the project.

RFA chairman and Mildura Rural City councillor Glenn Milne said stage two of the project remained incomplete and many of the works were substandard, with trains unable to travel at more than 40 kilometres an hour in sections.

“The current situation is completely unacceptable, the project has been completely mismanaged and the works that have been completed will need to be repaired,” he said.

“We are not even halfway through the Murray Basin Rail Project and minster Allan has announced the project is out of money. I am appalled; how can this possibly be the case?”

“The cost of moving goods is a substantial component of overall production costs for many industries, accounting for up to 30 percent” – Dr Tim Harrison

Cr Milne said the RFA also had concerns the State Government was considering leasing Victoria’s standard gauge lines to the Australian Rail Track Corporation, ARTC, as part of a deal to fund more work on the project.

“These lines are owned by all Victorians, and to hand these lines over to the Federal Government is a cop out and disaster for rail freight,” he said.

The Victorian Farmers Federation, VFF, also called on state and federal governments to recommit to the project.

VFF president David Jochinke, of Murra Warra, said the mismanagement of the project was costing farmers.

“The international competitiveness of our $1.5 billion Victorian grain industry relies on the productivity and efficiency of our supply chain,” he said.

“The conversion of old broad gauge rail lines to standard lines is critical to the efficient transport of grain and other products from north west Victoria to our ports.

“For every year this project is delayed, Victorian farmers lose $12 million in additional freight costs.”