- The Crisafulli Government is delivering a four-year, 10 per cent subsidy on below-rail access charges for Mount Isa Line users.
- The initiative strengthens regional supply chains, helps protect skilled regional jobs, reduce freight costs to unlock growth in the North West Minerals Province.
- The Crisafulli Government is delivering a plan for North Queensland's future and building a better lifestyle through a stronger economy after a decade of decline under Labor.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering a better lifestyle through a stronger economy by locking in a new four-year subsidy to support industry, strengthen freight corridors and grow the Northern Queensland economy.
All users of the Mount Isa Line will now benefit from a new 10 per cent subsidy on below-rail access charges for the next four years, providing certainty for businesses to plan, invest and grow.
By contrast, the former Labor Government ignored the mounting challenges in North-West Queensland and had no plan when Glencore announced the closure of the Mount Isa Copper Mine.
The Mount Isa Line is a strategic freight corridor connecting one of Australia's richest mineral provinces to the Port of Townsville, and it plays a critical role in keeping exports moving and the Queensland economy strong.
By lowering rail transport costs, the Crisafulli Government is reinforcing the Mount Isa Line as a critical freight corridor, keeping supply chains moving efficiently between the North West Minerals Province and the Port of Townsville.
A phosphate customer moving 0.5 million tonnes per annum of minerals concentrates in a bulk operation between Cloncurry and Townville would save $2.80 per tonne, or approximately $1.4 million per year and $5.6 million over four years.
This announcement comes ahead of the Crisafulli Government's bid for the United States' Critical Minerals funding, with a starting package of $300 million of projects for investment in Queensland, including upgrading the Mount Isa Rail Line.
Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg said the four-year subsidy was about backing the industries that keep the state moving by delivering practical support they could rely on.
"While Labor ignored the challenges in the North West, the Mt Isa rail subsidy is just another way the Crisafulli Government is getting on with supporting jobs and delivering confidence for the North West," said Minster Mickelberg.
"By lowering rail transport costs, we're making rail a more competitive option for industry, improving freight corridors and supporting growth across the North West Minerals Province.
"We know transport costs can be a real pressure on industry in the north and this subsidy will encourage a shift from road to rail, improving safety on our roads and strengthening long-term freight resilience.
"The Mount Isa Line subsidy is part of the Crisafulli Government's plan for a better lifestyle through a stronger economy, supporting the industries that underpin jobs and regional communities across the north."
Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last said the Crisafulli Government was serious about unlocking the full potential of Queensland's North-West.
"Queensland's resources are world-class, and demand is strong, with the Trump administration elevating phosphate to the United States' List of Critical Minerals late last year," Minister Last said.
"But to meet that demand, we need to get our resources to the coast, and that's where the Crisafulli Government's Mount Isa Rail Subsidy kicks in.
"The Mount Isa Line is the backbone of the North West economy, moving mineral concentrates, processed metals, fertilisers, phosphate rock and acid to export markets.
"The Crisafulli Government is delivering a better lifestyle through a stronger economy, and this investment is a key part of our plan for Queensland's future that puts our state at the centre of the world's appetite for critical minerals.
"We're backing the Queenslanders who rely on a strong resources sector, with this targeted support coming on top of our capital investment into Glencore's copper processing facilities in Mount Isa and Townsville, and fast-tracking approvals for Graphinex's Esmeralda Graphite Project near Croydon.
"Unlike Labor, whose anti-mining policies sent confidence off a cliff, the Crisafulli Government is sending a clear message to both Canberra and the world that Queensland is open for business."
