There are many in New England, Regional NSW and elsewhere in Australia who contend that regional growth is possible without proper public transport -roads and rail- and only air travel to regional locations. This is a model sustained by main political parties as well. Public investments in regional transport infrastructure is minimal compared to the investments in Sydney for example and there is no urgency in State government plans to renew regional train services that have been lost to the people over many decades.
While the world is moving with fast rail and our neighbours are building more fast rail lines to go with the modern times, we in Australia are still debating the merits of road vs rail services endlessly. In Indonesia, they have built a fast rail service from Jakarta to Bandung with Chinese assistance. In Australia, the government seems to have shut down any involvement with Chinese rail builders for political reasons. Yet the Chinese are building rail and road projects everywhere else except the main English-speaking countries. Even if we are politically not inclined to involve Chinese road and rail building companies from the infrastructure construction industry, we need to have credible alternatives to take the country forward. Where are we heading with such an approach? Are we sleep walking to a dead end whereas our competitor countries are advancing with modern rail services connecting regions with metropolitan areas and even with other countries where possible?
It is important to highlight this issue during the current federal election campaign because the federal government plans for transport infrastructure in regional Australia seems to be dismal. It talks highly about the need to shift freight from roads to rail to meet the net zero targets set by the government but do very little to address this topic when it comes to regional Australia, in particular regional NSW. Here there are more non-operational regional rail lines in terms of kilometres than operational lines. They are a wasted public asset. Needs of regional residents have not been prioritised in planning or project identification. For example, with recent flooding in Lismore, is there a need to identify better transport options for future events? Why do we wait until a natural disaster take place to focus on the needs of regional people?
Residents in New England have been seeking all three levels of government to focus on the public transport needs, especially by rail, for nearly five years. They even submitted a 10740-signature community petition to the NSW government at the end of 2023 seeking restoration of rail services from Armidale to Jennings/Wallangarra near the border. NSW government response was dismal. The minister responsible wanted the proponents of the petition to submit a business case. How can 10740 people who signed the petition collect half a million dollars to engage a transport consultant to prepare a business plan? Why should they do so anyway? Don’t we live in a democracy where the residents expect their governments to do what is necessary including conduct of feasibility studies and business cases as required and address the problems? I think the request for a business case like this place an unnecessary obstacle to progress the matter. If the State government does not have necessary funds, it can request the federal government to supply funds as part of the budget process. This requires political will to begin with on the part of State government.
A railway line like the northern rail line from Armidale to Queensland has national significance. Due to a historical mistake made by previous federal government when considering the best route for the Inland Rail, the line was abandoned from any further consideration for re-development. We have seen how the expected cost of completing Inland rail has grown to 32 billion from an earlier estimation of less than 10 million at the time decision was made about the route. It is not too late to consider alternatives for the Inland rail between Parkes and Queensland if there is a cost saving. Some suggest that the revival of northern rail line from Armidale to Queensland can do the trick.
In the absence of a revived rail line, New England highway and pacific highway are being used by trucking companies to transport freight. Road repair bill has been increasing and accidents have also been increasing.
Residents living north of Armidale who cannot drive or have no access to a car are facing many problems when attending to medical and other needs in Queensland. There is not even a bus service connecting Armidale, Guyra, Glen Innes and Tenterfield with Toowoomba, Warwick or Brisbane. People have to spend more than 8 hours in the daily train from Armidale to Sydney. It is more for those living north of Armidale as they have to take a bus to each Armidale station. For the politicians who have access to government provided transport facilities these problems are not urgent. They instead want to go with what is already there. There is no appetite to come up with out of the box solutions to address such problems faced by electors. Have they put such problems in the too hard basket or do they have other influences such as from the rucking industry not to act? We wonder?
In this election rail supporters in New England are asking the candidates from major and minor parties to prioritise regional public transport and use their influence to advocate for the same in a proactive manner rather than coming up with various excuses. Residents here deserve same public transport services as those living in Sydney, Newcastle or Wollongong. National party states that they are advocating for the regional people but they don’t seem to consider public transport needs of regional people as a key need? Labor candidate is listening and willing to look at the problem but has not come up with any concrete solution. Greens candidate is unclear about her position on this issue? At least they all can commit to a feasibility study and a business case as a start.
Voters in the current need to carefully consider which candidate is more open to looking at the public transport issue and coming up with a solution? When you meet the candidates individually or in public forums ask them about their approach to this issue and position. Be vocal, proactive and forceful in your efforts to convince the candidates that they need to do something about this issue that affect hundreds and thousands in regional NSW. Federal government cannot shirk its responsibility about public transport in regional areas saying it is a State responsibility anymore. Both levels of government have to consult each other and come up with a credible solution. They have a moral responsibility to provide transport justice to regional people.
Got something on your mind? Go on then, engage. Submit your opinion piece, letter to the editor, or Quick Word now.