The boss of the Inland Rail freight link has insisted the trouble-plagued line \u201cis not stalled\u201d, as he hit back at industry concerns over the government\u2019s lack of commitment to the second half of the overbudget megaproject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nick Miller, Inland Rail\u2019s CEO, also criticised negative media coverage of the line\u2019s progress, amid questions of the utility of the project if only the initial Melbourne-to Parkes-phase \u2013 which the government has committed funding to \u2013 comes to fruition but already-constructed parts of the northern section up to Brisbane, such as between Narromine and North Star, remain disconnected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Envisioned as a freight rail link capable of running double-stacked freight trains between Melbourne and Brisbane in 24 hours, the Inland Rail project has attracted criticism from experts and regional communities over the planned track alignment in light of flood risk, port access and other environmental concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the Coalition<\/a> committed to delivering the project in 2017, the estimated cost was $9.3bn. In 2020, the project\u2019s cost was estimated at $16.4bn with a completion date of 2026-27.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, a review into Inland Rail<\/a> released in April last year found the projected cost had grown to $31.4bn with an expected completion date of 2030-31. In response to the review, the Albanese government prioritised delivering half of the Inland Rail first<\/a>, from Melbourne to Parkes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Addressing the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) rail freight conference in Sydney on Wednesday, Miller conceded that \u201clike all major projects, it\u2019s had its fair share of challenges and setbacks, and I dare say there are more to come in the years ahead\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHowever, let\u2019s make one thing clear here today: Inland Rail is not a stalled project as was claimed in the media recently. We\u2019re making strong progress on the ground,\u201d Miller said, repeating it was \u201cnot a stalled project\u201d three times during his address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cContrary to recent media reports, Inland Rail is still progressing in Queensland and northern\u00a0New South Wales<\/a>,\u201d said Miller, who was appointed CEO in January when Inland Rail was made its own subsidiary of the Australian Rail Track Corporation following last year\u2019s review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019ll be submitting our revised environmental improvement statements for the NSW-QLD border to Gowrie section \u2013 it\u2019s a very significant greenfield section \u2013 in mid-2024.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Miller conceded: \u201cWe all know Inland Rail has been through a difficult time in the past 12 months, although some great progress has been made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe remain focused on the planned intersections from Beveridge in Victoria<\/a>to Parkes in NSW by 2027. That\u2019s key. We will continue to secure land and approvals north of Narromine to keep this vital piece of infrastructure on track.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n After his address, the ARA\u2019s chief executive, Caroline Wilkie, raised with Miller concerns from freight rail operators about the uncertainty of Inland Rail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFrom within the room and from government messaging the industry will probably feel that whilst there is momentum, it\u2019s momentum in a holding pattern,\u201d Wilkie said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAt what point will the commonwealth say, \u2018We\u2019re going ahead, this is the plan, this is the money and this is the timeframe\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Miller responded: \u201cThe commonwealth has never stepped away to say that this project will not be built. What the commonwealth has said is this project will be phased.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Miller said his organisation was still working to get environmental approvals to get a \u201cfar more accurate budget\u201d it could take to the federal government for the cost of the second stage of the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite construction beginning in sections north of Parkes, the Albanese government is yet to guarantee funding or a timeframe for the second stage of Inland Rail to Brisbane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Miller appeared at the ARA conference as rail freight bosses grappled with questions about how to reverse a decades-long trend away from rail freight towards trucks, and questioned the fees they face for track access compared with road operators\u2019 costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The share of non-bulk freight \u2013 including manufactured goods, produce, post, foods, drinks and most other items \u2013 transported by rail in Australia has dropped to 17%, and just 11% across the eastern seaboard, according to the ARA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Between Melbourne and Sydney, just 2% of freight is taken by rail, the research found, down from about 40% in the 1970s, according to Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n