When I commenced my business in Armidale in early 70’s nearly all the freight into Armidale came on train. Even the emergency overnight freight.
Governments in their wisdom decided they would no longer subsidise trains hence the explosion in trucks on our roads. No extra funding to maintain roads that deteriorate because of large trucks.
A few years ago I was involved with a group trying to open the inland port at Yamba. A Moree–Yamba rail line double stacked.
The cost of overseas freight is increased because we cannot get the biggest ships into Australia’s ports. The concept was the Yamba port would handle the biggest ships.
We could not proceed because the NSW Gov had done a deal with the company that bought Newcastle and Wollongong ports that if competition occurred the government would compensate them.
Sheer bloody lunacy but that’s government for you.
At some point we will have to start getting competitive on freight cost to compete internationally.
There is a continued hue and cry about burning fossil fuel, trains are much more economical.
That means we will need the Armidale north rail corridor. To lock it up for a small number of people not acceptable.
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