NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin says the Albanese Government needs to provide answers after it scrapped a multi billion dollar freight project that was poised to connect productive farming businesses and communities across the country.
"NSW Farmers policy supported Inland Rail because moving freight more efficiently matters to farm businesses, regional communities, and the prosperity of the nation," Mr Martin said.
"But governments can't ask rural and regional communities to carry the burden of disruptive construction, then just change direction without accountability.
"If Inland Rail is being 'refocused', then fairness for landholders, clarity for affected businesses, and genuine freight capacity upgrades must be the non negotiables."
On Wednesday Transport Minister Catherine King announced the Inland Rail project would stop at Parkes - seemingly unaware of already-constructed sections to Narromine, and between Narromine and North Star.
Mr Martin said the decision left questions for farmers and communities along the northern part of the corridor who were still facing significant challenges in getting produce to market.
"Certainty matters, and if the funding is stopping at Parkes then the government must be upfront about what happens next, because real people and real businesses have already paid a price," Mr Martin said.
"We need the Minister to tell us what this means north of Parkes, for those easements already acquired, and the already-constructed assets that are now stranded.
"How does the government plan to genuinely invest in the future of rural and regional businesses without this major linkage, and will they work with the states to deliver this funding into improving the existing regional rail freight network, rather than a wasteful redistribution of taxpayers' money?"
Mr Martin said the priority must be reinvesting funds back into the regional network and not diverting off into other projects.
"What regional Australia cannot afford is an even more expensive high-speed passenger rail project that does nothing for freight, nothing for farm productivity, and nothing for the communities already affected by Inland Rail," Mr Martin said.
"A Newcastle to Sydney very fast train has been reported as costing between $90 billion and $114 billion, that's way more expensive than Inland Rail.
"The federal government must not shortchange practical freight upgrades that keep regional businesses competitive for the nation's future."
