The Inland Rail Link Melbourne to Brisbane a Similar Case as the RAA's Bendigo - Geelong Rail Link

The Prime Minister for Fear and Inertia, Tony Abbott (Sorry that should read Infrastructure) was recently in receipt of an open letter from Asciona, Aurizon, Genesee, & Wyoming Australia, Qube, SCT Logistics,, Linfox and Toll Group and open letter advocating and lobby the Road Infrastructure Prime Minister for $300 million to build the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail Link. 

The letter sighted all the economic,logistical,employment and strategic reasons to build the rail link.

I know some of our  RRA members believe that some of the companies who were signatories to the open letter, have corporate reputations similar to that of Monsanto. However, it is interesting that these companies collaborated to pressure Tony Abbott to the funding of the Inland Rail Link.

Not only could it benefit freight rail but also create an opportunity to link Brisbane and Melbourne with a passenger service that stopped the necessity to go through Sydney.

What is interesting and noted was that Pacific National was not included as a signatory on the letter. This gives the impression that they are either fence sitting or because they don't want to be seen as agitating, therefore protecting their vested interests.

This Inland Rail project, highlights the RRA's advocacy and lobbying to have the Bendigo - Geelong Rail Link established for all the same reasons as the corporations, who identified their same reasons in their open letter to the Prime Minister for Inertia. The headline on the magazine Track + Signal and the internal article written on Abbott's Myopic View is by Byan Nye, the retiring CEO of Australian Railway Association, talks of Abbott's 'MYOPIC' stand, summarises the contempt for a how out of touch Tony Abbott is and his bias towards road funding and not funding metro rail projects.

Over 70% of freight between Melbourne and Brisbane is carted by the mono economic and inefficient Truck Transport Companies.