Independent review of the $14.5B Inland Rail project approaches has revealed that one of the former project mangers claims that those in charge of initial planning “took an eye at Google Maps.”
Cameron Simpkins is a project manager at Australian Railways Corporation, which is building the 1,700 kilometer train track.
The Inland Rail line between Melbourne and Brisbane was a major economic driver for the region. It created thousands of new jobs and stimulated regional economies.
Last year’s Senate investigation found that there were significant obstacles to the vital project. It aims to transport goods across the country in the event of flooding.
As work continues on 1,700 km of inland railway, thousands of jobs will be created in regional Australia. (Supplied: Australian Railways)
Barnaby Joyce, former leader of the National Party, secured $8.4 Billion in the first major funding commitment for the project through a 2016 coalition agreement with Malcolm Turnbull’s Liberal Party.
The project has been funded by the government-owned company ARTC for up to 14.5 Billion dollars.
Mr. Joyce said that Mr. Turnbull wanted West Sydney Airport. Now we have the money.
The Senate investigation report, “Inland Railroad: Derailed from the Beginning”, raised questions about transparency and challenged the case for the increasing business and cost. It claimed that it could reach more than $20 Billion.
Barnaby Joyce, former leader of National Party, was awarded $8.4 million for Inland Railroad in 2017/18 budget.ABC Upper Hunter Jake Lapham)
“Like two men at the Commodore.”
The Senate report’s findings were consistent with Mr Simpkins’ experience as a project manager at ARTC from 2017 to 2019.
He said, “When I arrived and received the documents it was very obvious that this had been done in a hurry.”
Mr. Joyce was not in agreement.
“Rush? “Rush?
It takes less than 24 hours to travel the 1,700km line from Melbourne and Brisbane. (Supplied: Australian Railways)
Simpkins stated that many people were shocked that the project was finally secured when he first started at ARTC back in 2017.
He also referred to the 2015 feasibility review.
“It certainly sounded like two people in the Commodore were listening to KC and the Sunshine Band as they strolled down the road by the railroad, ‘Yeah, it’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay,'” said Mr. Simpkins.
“I believe they searched Google Maps for the address and said, “No problems here, keep up.”
One of the proposed railroad lines would have passed through Kim and Russell Stevens’ home. (ABC landline: Nathan Morris)
The theory was based upon a meeting Kim & Russell Stevens had at their cattle property, southern Queensland, with ARTC.
“They asked where the house was located on the map. I answered, ‘Well it’s actually under that line on that map in front,'” said Mrs. Stevens.
“They were a bit shocked, and so were we, because we didn’t know where to go.”
Inland Rail Facts
- The 1,700-kilometer railway will link Melbourne and Brisbane via central Victoria, Western New South Wales, and southern Queensland.
- The project will improve 1,100 kilometers of existing railway lines and construct 600 kilometers of track to connect existing railway corridors.
- There will be dozens of trains that are up to 1.8 kilometers long, which can travel through three states at speeds exceeding 110 km/h. They will transport food, equipment and white goods as well as steel, paper, coal, and other materials.
- Each train can transport the same amount of freight as 110 double-B. trucks
Simpkins claimed that Simpkins was once trying to figure out why “numbers” were so important. [the cost] It has increased exponentially.”
The plans were then reviewed by an independent engineer.
“All the channels were stripped to remove the cost, all the level crossings were stripped, the fencing was not included — the kilometers and kilometers of the fence — and none of that was included in that initial cost,” he said.
Mr. Joyce had different memories.
“I believe everything was investigated for efficiency. But I don’t think that it was stripped,” said he.
“I believe that in any type of quantity surveyor operation we are looking at value for money.”
Nearly 300 kilometers have been constructed in railways since 2017. Only 5.3 kilometers were upgrades to existing railroads.
According to ARTC about $2 billion has already been spent.
Catherine King, Infrastructure and Transport Minister, stated that the project was “definitely above budget” and she believes it could explode even more without my intervention.
She stated that the previous government tried to convince her that the process would be completed by 2026-27, which is clearly not the case.
Space for play/pause, M für Mute, left arrows to search, and up arrows to adjust volume.Keep an eye outDuration: 13 minutes 33 second13:00 Nathan Morris reports on the progress of the $14 billion Inland Rail construction (ABC Landline).
Rebecca Pickering (ARTC’s acting CEO) said that the project would be an “innovative one” that would alter the way shipments move across Australia.
She stated that by traversing Australia’s regions, she has the potential to bring regional communities closer to their markets.
“We have a huge task ahead of us to meet the demands of the freight market, which I would say will more than double in the next 30 years.”
Regional transformation
The tensions between inner-city residents are growing over potential economic effects of the railroad. Some communities have already seen the financial benefits while others fear that they will lose the opportunity to benefit.
Construction is currently centered on the Narrabri – North Star section. ARTC reports it has employed more 1,800 people including hundreds of First Nations people.
Local businesses in areas like Moree, northwest New South Wales have also seen hundreds of millions of dollars spent.
Lloyd Munro believes that the Inland Rail Project is changing Morey’s future. (ABC landline: Nathan Morris)
We had many young people [who] It all started with the inner rail. Lloyd Munro Sr., an Aboriginal senior, stated that training is also available for truck driving and the use machines.
He explained that many of his congregation members struggled to find good jobs or training opportunities at Morey. However, he hoped that the Inland Railroad would provide a way for them to make real progress.
“This work gives you an opportunity to train our group and work side by side in all professional industries,” he said.
He also hoped that the project would help change the narrative surrounding Mori, an area with a long history of tension between non-indigenous groups and indigenous peoples.
He said, “Morri’s changing, that is what I would like them know…and for their good.”
However, there are still concerns about the area between Toowoomba, Brisbane and the outer suburbs where the line will pass on its route to Brisbane port. Concerning the frequency with which large freight trains pass through communities.
Simpkins claimed that he believes important aspects of construction considerations are getting lost among the fogs of politics and shrinking funds.
“I stood at those gates and talked to the farmers,” he said.
“If we are going to have an impact on those families and these communities, then we owe that to them. We owe our future generations the same.”
The Parkes-to-Narromine section of Inland Railroad is now complete. (Image provided by ARTC)
Profit from the political opportunity
An ex-senior official in government who participated in the feasibility study for an underground railway project stated recently that, in 2015 when the initial feasibility studies were completed, not all of the route was surveyed. The cost would also continue to increase.
Public servant The person who asked not to be identified said that in order to move such an ambitious project forward, it was necessary to seize political opportunities.
An inland railroad would be accepted by most people to fulfill East Coast freight demand, which is expected increase by at least 20% in the next 20-30 years.
“Building this thing is of paramount importance,” said Mr. Joyce.
Uncertainty remains about the proposed inland railway crossing of Pampas Plain, southern Queensland.ABC landline: Nathan Morris)
There are two pending reviews of ARTC flood modeling, but they have not been announced. The Labor government has promised to review the project prior to being elected.
King indicated that the company was finalizing terms and conditions for an independent review regarding the rail project.
“It’s going to be a short and thorough review. The thing I really look forward to is finding out the root causes of all the problems. [are]And where is there a way to actually solve some of these problems.”
“We might not be able fix everything.”
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Originally published at Brisbane News Station
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