1/10/2009

Nats win Coalition backing to oppose Labor rail sale

“Minister has nerve to claim it is best outcome for the community...”

The NSW Coalition will oppose a Labor plan to sell off the Casino-Murwillumbah rail corridor after lobbying by Tweed MP Geoff Provest and his Nationals colleagues representing Ballina, Lismore and Clarence.

“This wasn't easy because there is some support elsewhere in the State to convert genuinely abandoned rail corridors into cycle tracks,” Mr Provest said.

“However you can already do that by Act of Parliament. What Labor is trying to do is to give the Transport Minister a blank cheque to sell any rail line to the highest-bidding developer.”

“The Casino-Murwillumbah line would be top of the Labor bean counters' list in terms of revenue raising because it runs through valuable land, particularly in Lismore and Byron Bay.”

“If the Rees Government gets away with this, it will make it harder and much more expensive for a future Coalition Government to open the Casino-Gold Coast rail link everyone except the Labor Party wants.”

“It will not dilute the Coalitions determination to bring trains back to the North Coast but it obviously take longer to achieve our community goals,” Mr Provest concluded.