TRANSCRIPT: INLAND RAIL PRESS CONFERENCE, 30 August 2019
E&OE
WITH: THE HON. MARK COULTON MP, MINISTER FOR DECENTRALISATION, REGIONAL SERVICES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, FEDERAL MEMBER FOR PARKES, MAYOR KEN KEITH, MAYOR OF PARKES, MAYOR PHYLLIS MILLER OAM, MAYOR OF FORBES AND RICHARD WANKMULLER, CEO OF ARTC.
Subjects: Inland Rail between Parkes and Narromine
KEN KEITH:
It’s my pleasure as Mayor of the Parkes Shire to welcome everybody here today. I’d particularly like to welcome our local member; the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Michael McCormack; to Minister Mark Coulton; to Richard Wankmuller, the CEO of the ARTC; to my fellow colleague Phyllis Miller the mayor- OAM, the mayor of Forbes Shire, ladies and gentlemen, and staff of INLink and ARTC that are present here today. It’s a great pleasure to see this first section of the Inland Rail finally commissioned and ready for operation. This is a milestone moment in the history not only of the Parkes community but in the nation's history. It coincides with the funeral of Tim Fischer yesterday and I think he’ll be up in heaven looking down on this momentous occasion today with great pride in the effort he did in promoting the Inland Rail; as too the two gentlemen, our two ministers standing behind us today, that have been wonderful promoters of the Inland Rail. This is a nation building project that will transform regional Australia and we look forward to its growth and continued development so that we are able to deliver huge benefits to regional Australia over the next decades to come.
So, a pleasure to welcome all our visitors here today and I'll hand over to the Mayor of Forbes, Councillor Phyllis Miller OAM to support me in the welcome to our dignitaries here today and congratulate them for the wonderful work that they have done in promoting Inland Rail. Thank you.
PHYLLIS MILLER:
Thank you very much, Ken, and I support everything that Ken has just said. And certainly, the two ministers here with us today have been amazing. Forbes being a twin city to Parkes, we’re here to support and do whatever we can to make sure that this project is a real nation building project. So Forbes is a part of it and we will continue to be working together with Parkes Shire Council. So, welcome to everybody and I congratulate you on this first part of the opening of our Inland Rail. Thank you.
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well, thank you Phyllis and thank you Ken and it's great to be here with my National Party colleague, Minister Mark Coulton. It’s good to be here with the Inland Rail CEO, Richard Wankmuller. This is, as Ken and Phyllis have both stated, another red letter day, another milestone moment, in the building, the construction, the transformational Inland Rail. This is nation building infrastructure. This is a commitment by the Federal Government, by the Liberal-Nationals Government, of $9.3 billion and we're seeing the progress here writ large. There’s northwest connection. In a few weeks’ time, just a few short weeks’ time, we're going to be seeing even more activity on the track. We're going to be seeing trains, making sure that like never before Australia is connected and we look forward to 2025 when the project is completed, when you are going to see rail connectivity in this nation like never before.
Of course, the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail is going to freight goods to port within 24 hours. That's a first. We're also going to be obviously here at Parkes, where Parkes is very geographically special being on the north-south, east-west corridor, that inter-sector, it's going to make Parkes and Forbes such an integral part of this nation building piece of infrastructure. Of course, Mark and I were both at Peak Hill on 15 January just last year when the first shipment of steel, Australian steel, Whyalla steel, Liberty steel, was dropped off to start this project, to begin this project, and certainly that was an important day in the history of this nation.
As Ken said, Tim Fischer would be looking down on this today, very envious in the fact that he loved his rail and of course, Tim’s legacy will be the rail projects right across this nation – building the Inland Rail, building more commuter rail. Tim loved his rail and of course he would be looking down very proud of the fact that we're getting on with building the Inland Rail in this north-west connector today. It’s such an important part of Inland Rail. This is the first intersection, the first inter-sector, which is going to provide such important pathways on that north-south corridor which, as I said before, is such a transformational project for Australia.
I’ll hand over to Mark Coulton. I’m happy to take questions later.
MARK COULTON:
Thank you, Michael, Mayor Miller, Mayor Keith, Richard Wankmuller. It’s certainly great to be here today. This is the railway line of the twenty-first century. This is engineering standards of today. This is the highest quality railway line infrastructure anywhere in Australia. It certainly will stand [indistinct]. But right on the corridor now, there is activity from the one on one discussions in the Narromine to Narrabri [indistinct] with Inland Rail staff having those discussions, narrowing that corridor down to steel and sleepers being delivered in the North Star to Narrabri section now – activity all the way along. And I think as we look here today and see the finished product of this first section, we certainly can see that's going to be an engineering marvel that we can be all proud of.
Last week I was in Toowoomba, I spoke at a conference up there, 450 people at a conference in Toowoomba from right along the full length of the corridor excited about the opportunities that are coming to their communities. And so they’re already working to see how they’re going to be a part of it. So a great day, many more of these to come over the next few years, but certainly a great day for Inland Rail here in Parkes today.
RICHARD WANKMULLER:
And I just want to say thank you to Deputy Prime and Minister Coulton for taking time out of their busy schedule to come inspect the high quality work that's been done, the work that the INLink contractors has done is of the highest quality, we’ve have a chance to take a look at that today, we're very impressed with the work that's been done. I'm very proud of what they've achieved. The last thing I'd like to do is underpin a little bit the historic significance of being in this spot. This spot is where it all happens. This is the spot where Australia gets connected. This is the spot where east, west, north, south all come together, all come together for [indistinct] commerce that’s going to be of great benefit. It's where the Trans-Australian Railroad connects with the Inland Rail. This is a historic step forward, I'm very proud to be part of it. Thank you.
JOURNALIST:
Can you tell us about this section? How long it is? Where it goes to?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well, Richard probably could do a better job at that. [Indistinct], but anyway.
RICHARD WANKMULLER:
There's 13 segments in Inland Rail. This segment is about just under 100 kilometres long. What we're standing on today is the strategic 5 kilometres piece of that, but the overall section when it it's finally complete will be 100 kilometres long.
JOURNALIST:
Where to from here?
RICHARD WANKMULLER:
All over the nation.
JOURNALIST:
So stage one’s finished now, what’s the…
RICHARD WANKMULLER:
Yeah. As I said, there’s 13 stages, we have a ways to go. The Deputy Prime Minister talked about, we have a few years to go. But what's good about that? It's building opportunity every month that we work. Every month that we work we're getting more local jobs and we're getting more economic benefit out to these local communities.
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
If Tim Fischer was here to be able to tell you exactly every pin that was down and then every gauge, every bit of electrification, and modification and adjustment that needed to be made. He certainly would have loved to have been here and his legacy will be this line and other rail transport networks. And, you know, Mark and I were at his funeral yesterday, it was a very sobering moment but a very proud moment for the National Party to know that the National Party of always been right behind building rail – building rail to build a better Australia. That's the National Party way, that's the Liberal-Nationals Government way. And that's why we're investing so heavily in this particular project.
That's why Mark, who’s also very much a rail aficionado in the Tim Fischer mould, is also very much behind this project. But he knows it's going to bring jobs for his electorate of Parkes. The town of Parkes actually doesn't belong, or doesn't exist in the seat of Parkes by some strange quirk of fate. The fact is Parkes is front and centre of everything as that this Inland Railway is all about and Mark and I are very, very, very proud of that fact.
JOURNALIST:
Mr McCormack, on some other issues on …
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
We want to do the rail questions first and then and then I'm happy to take any other questions.
JOURNALIST:
There’s been quite a lot of backlash for the project. Is this the day that you were ever concerned wouldn’t come?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
There's also been a lot of promotion for the project and I know when you talk to companies that are little quarrying companies, little ballast producing companies, indeed individuals who've got a job because of the Inland Rail – from one of the one-stop shops perhaps up and down the line, or indeed they’ve inquired through the ARTC processes – they've got a job because this Inland Rail. This is creating many, many jobs and the benefits far outweigh any disadvantages.
Look, I appreciate there are still issues to be worked through and I know the ARTC is consulting all the way up and down the line. But this the important nation building project and when you have projects of this size and magnitude of course there are going to be some people affected. And we're working with those affected people. But we are doing this, as Richard Wankmuller says, for the benefit of the nation. We're doing this to create jobs. We're doing this to get goods to port quicker because the Asian market demands it. We have to make sure and Mark Coulton knows this better than most having been in the trade portfolio for some years now. He knows that trade means jobs and more trade means more jobs. And when you can get our clean, green and the world's best produce to markets quicker you can take advantage of that. And the only way you can do that is through having the right transport networks, and it starts right here with the Inland Rail.
JOURNALIST:
You touched on land holders. There were concerns that the Government wasn’t communicating with them but from what you’ve said it seems like that’s now happening. What’s the feedback you're getting from those people now?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well it's much more improved and of course we've got community consultative committees set up. Of course there are some issues still to be resolved but we're resolving those. We're getting on with the job and of course you see here today this important- this important first- this important milestone, step in [indistinct].
So we’re getting on with the job. The nation, the people expect us to get on and build this, that's what they voted on 18 May. They want to be able to build things, we’re a government that does just that, not only with rail but more airports and better airports, more road networks and better road networks. We're making sure that our ports, our seaports are what they should be with investment right across the nation. It’s all part of $100 billion infrastructure that we're investing in right across this nation. Inland Rail is just one part of that puzzle, but it's a puzzle that means that we're going to have better transport networks and getting people and freight to where it needs to be sooner and safer.
JOURNALIST:
So, it's pretty easy to nit-pick at the negatives when there are so many [indistinct] positives there are. But do you foresee 2025 there being a time when those criticisms do die down? Do you think you’ll have to fight for the next six year for them to?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well look I know that there was criticism of the New South Wales Government when it built the Harbour Bridge. Now, what, we’d all look back and say well that was one of the best investments the state ever made and I'm sure this will be the case with Inland Rail too. You can't build anything in Australia without criticism but the fact is this is transformational. We can live in a banana republic, build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything – if you can remember that you can use it – but the fact is we live in a nation where people expect us to build things. People expect to have the right transport networks and we're a government, the Liberal Nationals Government in Canberra, voted in to build things to get things done and that's exactly what the Morrison Government is doing.
JOURNALIST:
In terms of timing for this section of the route, are you happy with how it’s all come together today? It is ahead of schedule, behind schedule, on schedule?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
On schedule, on time and on budget. And that's why we're making sure that everything that we do, we're also getting a lot of local input, a lot of local companies are having a say in this as far as getting investment, getting jobs, procurement from the ARTC. This is about creating more opportunities for Australians and more Australians and I'm very proud to be part of it.
JOURNALIST:
Mr McCormack, on religious discrimination, do you feel the draft legislation goes far enough in protecting religious freedoms? Some religious leaders have had concerns that it doesn’t do that.
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Whilst I appreciate that some religious leaders have said that today, other people within their very church have actually said that this is good legislation, that there's been the right consultation and of course the consultation continues. The consultation continues, it’s draft legislation, it’s being put out for exposure at the moment. There is time for a Senate inquiry once the legislation goes before the Parliament, so there is still time for more consultation. I commend the Attorney-General Christian Porter for the work he has put in thus far. He has consulted religious bodies, he has consulted groups, LBTQI and those sorts of groups and we will continue to do that.
JOURNALIST:
Should Australia drop the case against Witness K and Bernard Collaery to maintain good relations with East Timor?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well the Prime Minister's is in East Timor today, the East Timorese are a very important people to us and it’s a very special milestone today. I'll leave that for others to concern- for those concerns. But I know that this is an important day for Timor. I know that it’s an important day for the Prime Minister and I know that he's going to be making some important announcements over there. We always look after our friends and our close neighbours, and we'll continue to do that.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think that in this case we should drop the case to maintain good relations if it comes to that?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well look, let's see what transpires and let’s see what unfolds. But the fact is the Timorese are friends of Australia. Fact is the Prime Minister is over there to make some good announcements today and I look forward to those.
JOURNALIST:
The recent ABS figures show that some people are leaving regional areas in record rates. What do you put it down to and I guess what can be done about that?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well regional areas are growing, not as fast as the capital city areas. And I've said for weeks, I've said for months that if city people don't like congestion, if city people want good jobs and good paying jobs then they should actually look at a country option. In Parkes and Forbes there are jobs available. Anywhere, right across regional Australia. I know Mark Coulton’s electorate, it’s certainly in Dubbo. There are jobs available and good companies looking to hire people who want to have a go at a tree change.
And of course Mark being responsible for the decentralisation policy of the Government, he’s doing a very, very good job of that. I was in Coffs Harbour recently for the opening of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority there, only 20 jobs at the moment but building very quickly up to 50 jobs and perhaps even more. They're the sorts of public servants and public service departments that should be relocated to regional areas and we're working on doing just that.
But I would also urge and encourage people who are sick of sitting there, sick of looking – when they go to work – at the brake lights in front of them for way too long, have a think about moving to the country. Yes, it is a concern that some people are leaving the country areas to look elsewhere. The fact is the drought has also taken its toll on country areas. And I’m standing in very much a drought stricken community. Crops, if farmers have got them in at all, are very sad and very forlorn. Further down south, we’ve had some half-decent rain and that’s produced some reasonable crops. And in fact some of the canola growers around Junee and Wagga Wagga tell me that they’ve got the best canola crops they’ve ever had. But of course we need more spring rains. We need more rains generally and certainly in the north west of the state and areas around Queensland, southern Queensland, western Queensland, they’re desperate for rain. But we’ve got a plan to build more water infrastructure. We’ve got a plan to build country areas. Mark and I are proud regional members and we’re proud of what our regional communities have to offer. And for anybody who may be looking at this telecast a little later on and maybe in the news packages, I’d urge and encourage you to think about relocating to a country area because there is hope, there is opportunity and there are jobs out there. And a much better lifestyle and much friendlier people.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:
Final questions, guys.
JOURNALIST:
Mr McCormack, on the Tamil family that’s facing deportation, why won’t the Government allow them to remain in country?
MICHAEL MCCORMACK:
Well I know this has been through a process with the department for many, many years. I understand and I can fully appreciate, you know, that this has been a very exacting and long process. I understand that there has been a court order made this morning and we'll have to work through those processes. But appreciating the fact that this has been through an appeal process through the department in the right way and in the proper manner for some time now.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER:
Thanks all.