'It's been an amateur hour': Farmers say flood advice still being ignored by $14bn Inland Rail project

abc.net.au/news/inland-rail-flood-modelling-questions-ahead-of-expert-report/101410312When it comes to nation-building infrastructure, the 1,700-kilometre Inland Rail from Melbourne to Brisbane will be one of Australia's most significant.

Australia's population is predicted to top 50 million by the end of the century, and on the populous east coast, freight demand is forecast to double by 2050. "ARTC, who are being chartered to build this rail line, it's been an amateur hour, and unprofessional from the outset," farmer Adrian Lyons said."We have hydrology issues … we have a watershed that has no data capture because we're not an irrigation farming region."

The project will upgrade 1,100km of existing rail line and build 600km of new track to connect existing rail corridors In addition to concerns that the line may exacerbate flooding and erosion of farmland, there is also angst about the decision by ARTC to bypass Coonamble and the existing railway lines to save travel time.

"For an example, they said to us, 'It's going to cost us $497 million to go via Coonamble extra, over a period of 20 to 30 years'. Mr Lyons and the dozens of landholders around Coonamble he represents say they aren't against the project, they just want assurances that it is being designed properly.The Narromine to Narrabri section of the Inland Rail is yet to receive state approval, and there is a pending review of ARTC's flood modelling.

The problem though, for farmers near Millmerran in southern Queensland, is that to make the railway line flood-proof, they say ARTC plans to build a large embankment across the floodplain they live and work on. "We originally asked them to build it at the same height as this rail, and no, no, they wanted to build it higher for better flood risk or whatever," Mr Kelly said.

nathmorris clint_jasper Barnaby_Joyce Inland_Rail A road/rail embankment in a flood plain acts like a dam InlandRail It needs many culverts to avoid washouts. To allow tracks to be flooded at lower levels is not a sustainable solution. Farmers often know best how water flows

Barnaby Joyce and land ownership. Look it up. Do some journalisms

it's been blatantly obvious right from the start that this 'inland rail project' will go the way of every other rail line on the western side of the mountains and become nothing more than a slush fund for corrupt national party politicians to fill their pockets with.

Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

I am in a long-term relationship with a partner I admire, but don’t love. Do I end it?It’s natural to feel reluctant about hurting someone, writes advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith, but staying hurts them more
Source: GuardianAus - 🏆 1. / 98 Read more »

Treasury discovers over $6b in unfunded costs ahead of budgetFederal Treasury has discovered over $6 billion in unfunded costs, ahead of the October budget. The discovery comes after Treasurer Jim Chalmers this week boasted a $50 billion lower forecast deficit than originally predicted in April. Both Dr Chalmers and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher say they are continuing to work through the fiscal challenges inherited from the Morrison government. Delayed roads and rail project are the biggest unfunded cost, followed by delayed payments to flood victims and COVID-related payments. JEChalmers AlboMP any plan for the rising living costs? what about the fuel costs, goes up Wednesday thanks to Labour - can I remind you it was Liberal that gave us a 20c break on fuel excise. all that happened under labour is everything has gone up! nottoomanypoorpoliticians That’s a dream scenario for KwasiKwarteng and the U.K. hmtreasury I think there is a lot more than that. Dim wit Jim is prone to lying to the Australian people.
Source: SkyNewsAust - 🏆 7. / 78 Read more »

Origin Energy backs away from outback fracking plans but farmers say fight isn't overTraditional owners, graziers and lobby groups say the gas company's decision to review plans in Queensland's Channel Country should be a 'wake-up call' to governments. Must not go ahead, ever. Fracking is evil. It destroys groundwater systems. They need to visit existing Qld gas fields and talk to the Queensland gas commission. It might help separate the facts and the myths. Hydraulic fracturing occuring in Australia is tightly controlled, not like the cowboy operations in the US. Also ask about well integrity.
Source: abcnews - 🏆 5. / 83 Read more »

Derailed or back on track? Inland Rail and the new government now at the throttleIn Opposition, Labor promised transparency and fixes to get the $15 billion-and-counting Inland Rail project “back on track”. It has also committed to serious budget repair. What happens now? Inland rail should be dumped It was Joyce's white elephant The age of coal is nearly over Inland rail was built to rail coal from remote mines to port $10bils subsidy for miners Free bonanza
Source: brisbanetimes - 🏆 13. / 67 Read more »