TENTERFIELD and the Northern Tablelands has been excluded in the push to gain rail funding according to the Greens who claim the region is being left out because of political arrogance.
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Greens candidate for the Northern Tablelands, Mercurius Goldstein, said he condemned a government decision to exclude the New England region from hefty infrastructure funding.
Nationals MP and NSW Minister for Small Business and Regional Tourism John Barilaro recently announced $50 million for the Casino to Murwillumbah rail trail project.
Mr Goldstein said he was concerned for the future of the Wallangarra, Tenterfield to Armidale line.
“The only two regions eligible to apply for funds centre on Ballina and Lismore, both Nationals-held seats facing strong challenges from the Greens and other parties in the NSW election.
“Less than three months before an election, the Minister has suddenly decided to shovel tens of millions in public funds towards two vulnerable Nationals seats, from what is supposed to be a state-wide infrastructure fund shared by all regions,” he said.
There has become a widespread push to revive the disused Tablelands line.
Mr Goldstein said tourism organisations were hopeful the rail would either be repaired or converted to a rail trail, creating a tourism boom for towns from Guyra to Deepwater up to Tenterfield and Jennings.
“This Nationals Minister in the Baird government has denied Northern Tablelands residents a chance to even submit an expression of interest.
“The application process should be transparent and open to all NSW regions.
“Residents have endured 25 years of Coalition and Labor government neglect of our railways, and now we’ve been excluded from this once-in-a-generation opportunity.”
The Greens candidate said the government were showing signs of arrogance in what they predict will be a safe ride to re-election for incumbent MP Adam Marshall.
“I believe our current Nationals representative Adam Marshall has failed to gain the Minister’s ear on this issue because his colleagues too readily assume he will be re-elected. I think it’s a disgraceful decision by the Minister.”
Mr Marshall has been vocal in saying the Tablelands project would need full community backing in order to gain government support.
Two opposing groups, one wanting to salvage the line and another wanting a trail conversion remain defiant about their wishes.
But Mr Marshall has said any future build would see the trail built alongside the existing line, keeping both parties happy.
"It's more an argument about where the rail trail gets developed and how it gets developed and how the costs get apportioned.
"If we can work out a good compromise between the two groups, then I think we've got a very strong chance of having a project that can be supported by government."
