TOOT and Greens call on Elliot and Saffin to save rail line from sell-off
Pictured are Karin Kolbe and Lee Rhiannon with some of the crowd of supporters. Photo courtesy Tweed Shire echo
TOOT (Trains on Our Tracks) and The Greens held a rally this morning at
Murwillumbah Station, calling on the NSW Government and the two local
federal ALP members Justine Elliot and Janelle Saffin to halt the rail sell
off of the casino to Murwillumbah railway line.
The sound of supporting toots from passing cars was constant. When
Justine Elliot's name came up, people called out "Who's That?
Minister for Aging who can't see needs of elderly re public
transport versus isolation.
The Northern Rivers Greens have responded to the NSW governments proposed Transport Administration Amendment (Rail Trails) Bill 2009, which would allow the transport minister to sell off the states rail lines, by again calling for the federal government to intervene to save the disused Casino to Murwillumbah line.
Last Friday, Page MP Janelle Saffin launched a community petition aimed at lobbying the NSW transport minister to "quarantine" the Casino to Murwillumbah line from potential sale while NOROCs 'Integrated Regional Transport Plan' is conducted. Ms Saffin made no promises of federal support or funding for the line, however.
"It's about time that Ms Saffin showed an interest in north coast rail, she's been palming it off as a state issue for so long, but a petition to the NSW government is certainly not any solution to this proposal to sell off the line," NR Greens spokesperson Andy Gough said.
"If she's serious about saving our rail line then she and Justine Elliot have to convince the federal government to assume control of the line, which they can do under section 51 of the Constitution," Mr Gough said.
Australia is the only OECD country in which the federal government does not have a formal role in funding and supporting public transport. Transport fuels are the third highest contributor to Australia’s greenhouse emissions (14% in 2006) and the fastest growing contributor (30% increase over 1990 levels).
"Rail services are a vital way of reducing our reliance on petrol- based transport. If the federal government is seriously committed to tackling climate change then contributing toward public transport infrastructure would be an excellent investment, and it's obvious now that there is no chance of this state government ever reinstating services," Mr Gough said.
The NR Greens also renew calls on Justine Elliot (Richmond MP) to meet her 2004 election commitment to restore rail services to the Casino to Murwullumbah line. Rail supporters are not impressed to hear that she now denies having made that commitment.
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