BY DYLAN DE JONG 

Wimmera-Mallee agriculture and political leaders are ‘disappointed’ a revised plan to fix a failed rail upgrade in north-west Victoria is unlikely to achieve the project’s original goal.

The State Government revealed a revised business plan last week that proposed an extra $244-million be spent fixing the Murray Basin Rail Project.

But the plans will not involve standardising lines.

The jointly funded $440-million plan, first proposed in 2014, was set to standardise north-west Victoria’s freight rail network. It ran out of money in 2019 with half the project incomplete. 

Victorian Farmers Federation president David Jochinke said the revised business case was ‘disrespectful’ to grain handlers who were anticipating plans to involve the whole network to be standardised.

“We can’t support the project that is being presented to us because it doesn’t finish off on the clear objectives that we want the rail network to look like,” he said. 

“As an industry, I haven’t heard from anyone who’s satisfied. That includes rail and transport workers, farmers, freight and port operators – none are happy with the current proposals.”

The revised plan included re-railing an 88-kilometre section of track that was originally completed between Maryborough and Ararat in 2017. 

The project will also install passing loops to allow for more freight paths, as well as new or upgraded sidings at Maryborough, Donald and Merbein to improve flexibility in the network. 

Missing pieces

But there was no indication in the plan that Sea Lake and Manangatang lines would be upgraded from broad gauge to standard gauge – plans that were a key part of the initial project. 

“The original project was to create competition between the three ports at Portland, Geelong and Melbourne,” Mr Jochinke said. 

“For grain growers, about 20 to 30 percent of our cost goes into freight. This project was designed to increase competition and productivity of the system and by retaining the lines as broad gauge and not upgrading them to 21-tonnes standard gauge, which is what the proposal is under this current review, is quite frankly unacceptable.” 

Pressure on roads

Mr Jochinke said it was crucial the governments completed the project as promised. 

“The under investment in rail puts more trucks and pressure on our roads. Our road network in many areas is crumbling away and needs significant investment in it as well,” he said. 

“We’re in a position here where we started with good intentions to create a functional system, but we’re now not even half done on this project. We can’t go back, so we have to go forward.”

Mr Jochinke’s comments were echoed by Federal Member for Mallee Anne Webster. 

She said the revised plan would fail to improve rail efficiency.  

“I’ve spoken with stakeholders across Mallee who have expressed their great disappointment that the original plan is not being adhered to, but rather a partial version, with yet more investigation to be completed,” she said. 

“This partial version will not deliver the cost savings or efficiency improvements originally promised to the community, and highlights once again, the state Labor government’s focus on Melbourne, with the disregard for the regions that drive our economy.”

The business case proposes works which require an additional $244-million toward the project, taking the overall investment in the Murray Basin Rail Project to $814-million. 

The Victorian government intends to commit $48.8-million in further funding.

Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan said the State Government would seek the remaining $195.2-million from the Federal Government. 

“This project is too important to play politics with – we want the Commonwealth to come forward with their support so we can get more freight on trains and more trucks off regional roads,” she said. 

“Our rail freight and passenger network has transformed since the project was first developed, and this revised set of works will make sure this project delivers for Victorian farmers and freight operators well into the future.”

RELATED: Trail to nowhere

The entire October 28, 2020 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

The entire October 28, 2020 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!