Tuesday, 30 May 2023

Portland–Maroona rail line

Roma BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (19:11): (205) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, and the action I seek is for the minister to release the details of the lease of the Portland–Maroona rail line between the Australian Rail Track Corporation and the state of Victoria. The Maroona to Portland rail line is 172 kilometres long and connects the western half of Victoria with the national grid and the Port of Portland. It is a timber sleeper line and carries grain, mineral sands and other freight destined for the Port of Portland – the best deep-sea port in regional Victoria. Since 2008 the people of South-West Coast have witnessed a deterioration of the line, to the extent that it is hardly fit for purpose and the trains frequently derail. On 10 July 2008 the Australian Rail Track Corporation, ARTC, and the Victorian government announced a long-term lease of the Portland–Maroona rail line. In a media release of the same date, the ARTC stated:

ARTC will invest in Portland–Maroona line to manage, upgrade and maintain it, with the overall aim of ensuring the line capacity is able to meet demand and be more attractive for future growth.

The clearest example of this is that by upgrading the line, trains will be able to travel consistently at 80 kilometres an hour.

One specific obligation of the lease was that the Portland–Maroona rail line was to be maintained to be able to handle a minimum of 19 tonnes axle load, or TAL. It appears that the terms of the lease have not been observed. The Portland–Maroona rail line is not able to carry 19 TAL, and the speed is now reduced to 40- to 60 kilometres an hour, and still we see derails. Neither the speed, nor the TAL is consistent with the wider rail network, which is currently 23 TAL at 80 kilometres an hour.

Due to the Portland–Maroona line no longer being fit for purpose, producers and exporters are largely forced to use the dilapidated, dangerous and underperforming road networks to get their goods to port. It is yet another example of this government’s mismanagement of contracts. Add to these the east–west link, the West Gate Tunnel and really any project involving this government.

The minister must release the lease so that the people can view for themselves what shoddy agreement former Premier Brumby agreed to. Will ARTC face penalties for failing to maintain and upgrade the rail line as required? If not, why not? The people of Victoria deserve answers. The people of Victoria deserve so much better.