Logistics News

Inland Rail: nominations open for Qld consultative committees

Four regional committees to be established for Queensland projects

 

Federal infrastructure and transport minister Darren Chester is inviting nominations for community consultative committees in Queensland for the Inland Rail project.

Four regional committees, of between 10 to 15 members each with an independent chair, will cover the greenfield Inland Rail projects in the Southern Darling Downs, Inner Darling Downs, the Lockyer Valley and the Scenic Rim regions.

The projects will be assessed through the state government’s formal project assessment and approvals process requiring the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement.

Chester says the committees will be a channel for direct feedback and information sharing between landholders, local businesses and residents and the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC).

“Local people told us they wanted committees in each of the Queensland Inland Rail project areas and that’s what we are delivering,” Chester says.

“Regular and ongoing input is both vital and welcome as ARTC moves through the EIS process of extensive studies and engineering work which will take around 18-months to two years across all four Queensland projects covered by the committees.”

The geographically-based committees would focus on the Inland Rail projects in their local area, with committee members gathering and disseminating information throughout their community and then presenting those views to the committee, Chester says.

“In general, committee meetings will be open to the public,” he says.

“Queensland stands to gain thousands of jobs and more than $7.2 billion in economic activity from Inland Rail so it is vital for local communities to contribute to the development and progress of Inland Rail in their local area.”

Nominations close on November 24.

For more information, visit the Inland Rail website.

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