Mark Coulton (Parkes, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Local engineering and environmental consultancy firms in my electorate of Parkes have shown a great interest in being part of the planning process for the Inland Rail. Will the minister advise the House of any opportunities available for these firms to be involved in this process?

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Parkes for his question. He has been one of the greatest advocates for the Melbourne to Brisbane railway line over a long period of time, and I am sure he shares the pleasure of at last seeing things happen to bring this worthwhile project to fruition. He will be aware that the Inland Rail Implementation Group has presented its report to the government. That, along with the business case, has now been provided to Infrastructure Australia so that they can assess it on its merits.

I am also pleased to advise the honourable member that, just a few days ago, tenders were called for the technical advisory services for the project. That may well provide opportunities for local tenderers to be involved either as lead tenderers or as partners with others who might be providing this kind of advice. There will also be work to be done in areas such as local engineering and environmental consultancy, and plant and equipment people will obviously be needed as the project advances. I think all of these things can be provided at a local level. Indeed, the Australian Rail Track Corporation is committed to using local people. This is a project that is going to traverse a large part of regional Australia, and so there will be huge opportunities for regional Australian companies to be involved in the construction.

Currently, firms in regional locations have been invited to be involved in some specific parts of the project. These locations include Tamworth, Singleton, Maitland, Newcastle, Dubbo and Gulgong; some of those are obviously in the member's electorate. The ARTC is also working with the Industry Capability Network to identify local tenderers who may be able to participate in this major project. This is an exciting project that will deliver enormous benefits to the rail transport network in Australia. It will help smooth the traffic between Melbourne and Brisbane. It will remove some of the congestion out of the Sydney train network and allow passenger trains to move more freely. It will link all of our state capitals through the rail network in a more cohesive way. It takes 500 kilometres off the journey from Brisbane to Perth. Those things are transformational projects for our nation's transport system. It is a project that will benefit regional Australia, but it will also benefit our capital cities and help our economy run more smoothly.