DARLING Downs farmers say they are committed to working with the newly elected Albanese government to have the proposed route of the Inland Rail shifted off the Condamine River floodplain.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
Millmerran Rail Group chairman Wes Judd said he would be seeking to meet with the new infrastructure minister - tipped to be Catherine King who held the shadow portfolio - as soon as possible to help drive Labor's promised review of the controversial $14.5 billion project.
"Anthony Albanese identified issues with Inland Rail prior to the 2019 election and made a commitment to review the project then as did Catherine King during the 2022 election campaign," Mr Judd said.
"Now is the opportunity for the new government that knows the flaws of the Inland Rail route to find a better option.
"We look forward to meeting with the new infrastructure minister as soon as possible, and they are welcome to meet the farming families affected by the proposed flawed route."
Mr Judd said the bulldozer approach adopted by the Morrison administration had been one of the previous government's key failings, especially in light of damning Senate inquiry into the management of the $14.5 billion Inland Rail project.
"The NSW border to Gowrie route of Inland Rail has not been approved and nor should it," Mr Judd said.
"The Australian Rail Track Corporation has been asked to provide additional information by the Queensland's coordinator general and the Independent Panel of Experts is still to finalise its report on the route.
"Now is the time to find a better option and get Inland Rail off the floodplain."
Richard Doyle, a landholder on the proposed Inland Rail route between North Star and the NSW/Queensland also supported Labor's review of Inland Rail.
"There are better and far less potentially damaging routes for Inland Rail," Mr Doyle said.
"The most obvious is to use the transport corridor from Moree to Goondiwindi, which already accommodates the Newell Highway.
"The proposed route from North Star to the border across the Macintyre River floodplain is fraught with danger.
"This is probably the worst part of the floodplain to choose for any infrastructure given the amount of flooding we can experience here."
Mr Albanese was sworn in as Prime Minister on Monday, along with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles as Employment Minister, Senator Penny Wong as Foreign Affairs Minister, Jim Chalmers as Treasurer and Katy Gallagher as Finance Minister, Minister for Women and Attorney-General.
Labor's other ministerial appointments will not be known until after Mr Albanese returns from a Quad Leaders meeting in Japan this week.
Want daily news highlights delivered to your inbox? Sign up to the Queensland Country Life newsletter below.
