Farmers reach agreement with Inland Rail builder

Landholders can expect better treatment during the construction of Inland Rail thanks to a landmark agreement between NSW Farmers and the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC).

Inland Rail and NSW Farmers have worked together to develop a joint information pack that acknowledges and addresses issues of concern to property owners – including the poor behaviour of some contractors – and spells out the rights and responsibilities of all parties moving forward.

NSW Farmers Inland Rail Taskforce chair Peter Wilson said there had been a series of open and productive mediator-facilitated discussions – in line with a recommendation from a Senate review last year – which would lead to better outcomes for landholders.

“We have had some frank and robust conversations with ARTC executives about the expectations of farmers and other landholders, and we’re pleased with the result,” Mr Wilson said.

“Our goal was to improve engagement between the ARTC and landholders to be more transparent, fair, and honest.

“We’re hopeful this will provide a better way forward for Inland Rail for all parties involved.”

When completed, the Inland Rail project will connect Melbourne

Weather the key impact

According to the latest Sheep Producer Intentions PULSE survey, published by the MLA and AWI, foods and weather conditions had a negative impact on lamb selling during the fnal months of 2022.

However, producers plan to make up for the shortfall in the frst half of 2023.

The revamped Sheep Producers Intentions Survey was re-launched in October 2022 to provide updated information on fock population, demographics, sheepmeat and wool supply, and producer production intentions.

The October survey focused on the lamb fock of producers and their intentions for the remainder of the spring fush and onward to June 2023.

The October 2022 survey reported on an estimate of the planned and forecasted lamb sales covering three time periods: reported sales, planned sales, and forecast sales. to Brisbane with a heavy freight line. But the project was met with opposition after many landholders along the route had raised concerns about the way ARTC and some of its contractors were operating. NSW Farmers, along with other rural organisations, were successful in pushing for a Senate inquiry that found a range of major issues in relation to the Inland Rail project, including the business case for the development, failings in com-munity engagement and consultation, route selection issues and fooding and hydrology concerns.

The latest pulse survey data revealed that the majority of producers made changes to their planned 2022 sales volumes, with 51% selling fewer lambs than expected, 13% selling more, and the remaining 36% selling as planned.

The information pack provides further details on how ARTC will address issues of concern to landowners including the property acquisition process, fencing standards and Inland Rail’s complaint management process.

Mr Wilson said there was a shared commitment to listening and understanding each party’s perspective and reaching mutually benefcial solutions, which would enable the safe and effcient delivery of Inland Rail.

“There will always be a problem of a power imbalance when a powerful, governmentbacked agency turns up in the country with instructions to build infrastructure.”