Parkes Shire Mayor and Member for Orange both welcomed the Federal Government’s budget announcement of $8.4 billion for the development of the Inland Rail link.
In delivering his budget speech on Tuesday, Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison said: “In one of the biggest investments ever seen in regional Australia, the government will fund the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail project with $8.4 billion in equity to be provided to the Australian Rail Track Corpo- ration. Construction on this 1,700 km project will begin in 2017- 18 and will support 16,000 jobs at the peak of construction. It will benefit not just Melbourne and Brisbane, but all the regions along its route.”
Mayor Ken Keith said he was ecstatic about the announcement. “This combined with the nearly billion dollars already an- nounced means that the momentum for the project will be built. It will also give industry confidence in investing infrastructure to compliment the Inland Rail”.
Orange MP Phil Donato said: “This funding commitment will provide a significant boost to our electorate, delivering many economic benefits.The ability to move produce quickly and cost-effectively is also vitally important in an agricultural area such as the Orange electorate.”