1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:05,240 Speaker 1: Will just change tracks, so to speak. Because I've spoken 2 00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: about this before and rail in general anyway, about the 3 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:11,640 Speaker 1: loss of regional rail, and it's a shame it's gone, because, 4 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: particularly for passenger services, you'll just never get it back. However, 5 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: there is a portion there's a very good reason to 6 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 1: restore rail on the Peninsula. It was largely grain trains 7 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: that were operating there towards the end of the railway's 8 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 1: life on the Peninsula, and the speed of the trains 9 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: it was slow because the tracks narrow gauge, so you 10 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:39,440 Speaker 1: can't get big, heavy grain trains going too fast on 11 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 1: narrow gauge. That is one thing. But the companies involved, 12 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 1: the grain companies that ran the trains, decided road traffic 13 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:50,279 Speaker 1: would be better. Well, of course, that is a nightmare 14 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: on the roads, and thousands, tens of thousands of truck 15 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: movements during grain season, which is well about to be 16 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 1: soon will be hitting the roads very very soon. On 17 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: the Air Peninsula and in other parts of the state 18 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 1: as well. There's been a push to return rail. It's 19 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:10,320 Speaker 1: only been gone about five years. The tracks are all 20 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,040 Speaker 1: still there. I suppose they'd need a check of some 21 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: sort and maybe an upgrade here or there. But the 22 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: maintenance should have been done all the way through, you 23 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 1: would have thought, given there are arrangements, leasing arrangements in 24 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: place for the train operators to do that. Marie shaw 25 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: King's Council is part of a group in fact formed 26 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:33,400 Speaker 1: March for Air and this is about the Air Peninsula. 27 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:35,960 Speaker 1: She grew up there and is very passionate about, well, 28 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 1: amongst other things, returning rail grain services to the peninsula. 29 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 2: Marie, good morning, Oh, good morning, that's you, and good 30 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 2: morning to you thisnes. 31 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:46,680 Speaker 1: What are you hoping to achieve now? Are we any 32 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: closer to seeing trains move again on the peninsula? 33 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 2: Look? I think we are because we now have Arizon, 34 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 2: which is the less see that you mentioned, as well 35 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 2: as Terra which is the grain handlers. That's still all 36 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 2: the SIMEE have basically together lobbied the federal government, lobbied 37 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 2: the state government as to the benefits of reopening the rail. 38 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 2: And what is probably not known is that we the 39 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 2: taxpayers actually own all of those rail corridors. And so yes, 40 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 2: Horizon have Elite and you're right, Horizon have the responsibility 41 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 2: to maintain it. But while we the taxpayers own those corridors, 42 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:31,640 Speaker 2: we are currently paying for rail to be built into 43 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 2: state from Brisbane to Melbourne. We are paying through the 44 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 2: federal government. We're paying for rail to be built in 45 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 2: Western Victoria Country. But for some reason, South Australia is 46 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 2: a complete backwater when it comes to rail. 47 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: How many truck movements are there on the peninsula as 48 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 1: a result now of trains coming off five years ago. 49 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:57,399 Speaker 2: If we reopened the rail we would remove forty thousand 50 00:02:57,400 --> 00:02:58,359 Speaker 2: truck movements a year. 51 00:02:58,720 --> 00:02:59,639 Speaker 1: Forty thousand. 52 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 2: It's not just harvest. When the trucks are operating, the 53 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 2: grain stored up the peninsula, so the grain is being 54 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 2: transported to Lincoln, for example, regularly because the ships come in. 55 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 2: It's a huge export income for Australia and South Australia. 56 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 2: And those truck movements are constant. If you go to 57 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 2: ep you will not get out of there without sitting 58 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 2: behind a truck. And what is really disturbing, you might say, 59 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 2: is the fact that the fact of the matter is 60 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 2: the reason that every other state apart from South Australia 61 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 2: is invested in rail is that rail is actually cheaper, 62 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 2: and that is the Brisban to Melbourne rail that they're building. 63 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 2: They CSIROB to report and said it was one hundred 64 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 2: and seventy million dollars cheaper to invest in rails and roads. 65 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 2: And so we're willing, for example, US tax payers to 66 00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 2: pay one hundred and sixty millions shave three minutes off 67 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 2: the open that we won't invest in rail. And I'm 68 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 2: not sure what is holding us up in catching up 69 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 2: with the rest of Australia or indeed the rest of 70 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 2: the world where everyone is turning to rail, not just 71 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:21,360 Speaker 2: for safety because we know two thirds of roads deaths 72 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 2: are on country roads, but also it's accepted that carbon 73 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:29,920 Speaker 2: emissions are a real problem, and of course rail is 74 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:33,600 Speaker 2: the reason why many other countries and other parts of 75 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 2: Australia are reverting to rail. 76 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 1: Have we got any figures on what it would take 77 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: to upgrade to return the track to operating standards? 78 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:46,720 Speaker 2: Yes, we have. The submission made by the Terra and 79 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:50,640 Speaker 2: Horizon was that you could upgrade the rail and return 80 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 2: it to operation all the way up to Kimber and 81 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:56,720 Speaker 2: up to Woodner for two hundred million. There's still discussions 82 00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:58,920 Speaker 2: going on about that. And I used to figure over 83 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 2: one hundred and sixty it in because that was to 84 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 2: shave three minutes off the o Bar and we know 85 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:08,839 Speaker 2: that we're talking about south road upgrades and acquiring everybody's property. 86 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 2: We're talking in the billions, We're not talking in the millions. 87 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 2: And the reality is that once you do upgrade the 88 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 2: rail and you get it operating as you said, the 89 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 2: opportunity to link that to passenger rail and the rest 90 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 2: of Australia. It is a visionary picture of what really 91 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 2: we would hope governments would embrace. When I grew up 92 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:37,840 Speaker 2: in Warreci it was all it was anitche that the 93 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 2: property that we had was all scrubbs. So in the 94 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 2: early nineteen hundreds we had visionary politicians who built rail 95 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 2: through scrubs. And the entire center of Air Peninsula from 96 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 2: Comings onwards is all connected to rail. Those communities are 97 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:58,479 Speaker 2: only there because rail was built. So if we want 98 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:02,160 Speaker 2: to continue to grow our communities, and that's not just 99 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 2: on Air Peninsula, that is all country communities, rail is 100 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:08,600 Speaker 2: the answer. Rail is the way in which will connect 101 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 2: to port, connect communities and the most the reason why 102 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:17,040 Speaker 2: I'm so passionate about this is because on Air Peninsula, 103 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:20,359 Speaker 2: and when I was growing up, sport was everything. We 104 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 2: now to play football on Air Peninsula, the communities have 105 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,840 Speaker 2: shrunk so much that you have to travel two and 106 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:30,720 Speaker 2: a half hours from Putur to Humbe Bay to play 107 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 2: football on a sourday afternoon, and yet the farming and 108 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 2: the mind that's going on in EP is riding. We 109 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 2: just need to have the role connector get those communities 110 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 2: up and run again. 111 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: It wouldn't be passenger services they would It would be 112 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: grain and whatever else. Freight. 113 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:54,919 Speaker 2: Absolutely in the first place, that's the initial goal. But 114 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:59,359 Speaker 2: there's no reason why that passenger rail should not follow on. 115 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 2: I mean the distance from say Kimbers who were out 116 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:05,960 Speaker 2: when you think about it is I think it's in 117 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:08,040 Speaker 2: terms of rail it's about one hundred and fifty k's 118 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 2: and we've already got the link to the National Rail 119 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 2: through that. So it doesn't make sense that air Peninsula 120 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 2: two and a half times beside of Tasmania is cut 121 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 2: off from the rest of Australia. 122 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: And that's the thing. Is standard rail everywhere else going 123 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 1: past the peninsula, but you're on narrow gage. So would 124 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: you look at that converting to standard? Is that your 125 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 1: ideal sort of solution here? 126 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 2: That is the ideal, But arise and tell me that 127 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 2: they have already done what they call a high ray 128 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 2: where they go and inspect the rail and it's in 129 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 2: relatively good condition. So their proposal in the first place 130 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: is to get it open as soon as possible and 131 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 2: get it operating. And then, of course, with modern technology 132 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 2: converting narrow to standard or connecting a narrow to a standard, 133 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 2: it's incredible what you can do. It's the connector that 134 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 2: would be required, not necessarily the transforming of the entire rail. 135 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, although if it's narrow there, it have to been 136 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 1: narrow everywhere else to make it work. And it's you know, 137 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: it's not the case unless you get bogies that can 138 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: shift out and change gauges. But maybe that's the thing 139 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 1: I was going to ask you about the transport study 140 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 1: the state government has announced on the Air Peninsula. Are 141 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 1: you making a submission to that, the March for Air group, Yes, look, 142 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: we will. 143 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 2: I mean one of the challenges I suppose is that 144 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 2: there are no doubt bested interest that profits from rail 145 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 2: being closed. And I'm referring, of course to trucking companies 146 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 2: and potentially are the ports that might feel as though 147 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 2: this is going to increase competition if the rail is operating, 148 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:51,839 Speaker 2: and so there's no doubt that rail is the optimum 149 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 2: way of travel. The question for the state government is 150 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 2: going to be whether they put the people of South 151 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 2: Australia in their safety and the future of South austra 152 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:04,320 Speaker 2: ahead of vested interest. That's my personal opinion and that's 153 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 2: what I've learned been advocating for rail now for quite 154 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 2: some time. 155 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: All Right, we'll see where it ends up. Murray, thank 156 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:12,559 Speaker 1: you for your time this morning. 157 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 2: Thank you very much for having me on, Matthew, and 158 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 2: hello to everyone in the country and especially the people 159 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:17,559 Speaker 2: from EP. 160 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 1: Good on you. Murray Shaw, who is with the group 161 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: March for Air formed it and the big pushes to 162 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 1: return grain trains to the Air Peninsula.