Independent review announced for Inland Rail

The Federal Government has announced an independent review, led by Dr Kerry Schott AO, into the Inland Rail project, in keeping with its election commitment to take a close look at the planning, governance and delivery of Inland Rail.

The review will consider the process for selecting the Inland Rail route, including stakeholder consultation, and assess the project’s scope, schedule and cost. The review will also assess options for the new Inland Rail intermodal terminals to be built in Melbourne and Brisbane, and improving rail links to the ports in these cities.

The review will:

1. Assess Australian Rail Track Corporation’s governance and program delivery approaches, including:
   1. The effectiveness of current governance arrangements for Inland Rail, including monitoring and reporting
   2. Project management arrangements
   3. Risk management practices
   4. Implementation of strategy
2. Consult with stakeholders across the freight sector to test the Inland Rail service offering and the importance of this to achieving the overall benefits of Inland Rail, including how it provides new capacity and resilience to support Australia’s national supply chain network, having regard to:
   1. Urban congestion and future freight demand
   2. Potential end points for the Inland Rail Service Offering in Melbourne
   3. Potential end points for Inland Rail Service Offering in Brisbane, including Ebenezer, Kagaru, Bromelton, and/or Acacia Ridge
   4. Efficient linkages with freight infrastructure such as other freight rail networks, ports and intermodal hubs
3. Review the processes for selecting the Inland Rail route to confirm it is fit for purpose and has considered both impacts and potential broader economic benefits to regional economies and communities
4. Having regard to current market constraints and regulatory environment, assess Program scope, schedule and cost, including:
   1. A broader review of the infrastructure market
   2. Review Program costs, contingencies and escalation
   3. Review schedule assumptions, including timing for planning and environmental approvals, land acquisitions and contingencies
   4. Options to optimise Program delivery to realise benefits earlier
   5. The PPP for the Gowrie to Kagaru projects
   6. Any related port connections
   7. Potential intermodal terminals in Brisbane and Melbourne
5. Assess opportunities for enhancing community benefits along the route
6. Review ARTC’s engagement and consultation approach, including options to improve engagement with communities and other stakeholders along the route; and develop a pathway to consider community concerns with the alignment.

The review will have regard to existing studies, including but not limited to:
a) Dedicated rail freight connections to ports in Brisbane and Melbourne
b) The development of new intermodal terminals in Brisbane and Melbourne
c) The extension of Inland Rail from Toowoomba to the Port of Gladstone
d) The South East Queensland Freight Demand Analysis and Modelling Study

Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, said the review will give the Government a clear-eyed view on what the problems are and the way forward.

“We are delivering on our election commitment to undertake an independent review to get this nationally important project making progress again without further delays and with improved community consultation.”

Inland Rail is an important part of building additional capability and capacity to increase the resilience of Australia’s freight supply chain and meet the growing freight task, which is forecast to grow by up to 35 per cent by 2040.

Federal Minister for Finance, Katy Gallagher, said it is important to consider expert advice on critical issues of safety, delivery scope, cost and schedule as the government continues to look to deliver this significant investment in the national freight network.

“Inland Rail is supporting local jobs and growing Australian companies, with more than $2.7 billion in contracts being awarded to over 400 suppliers and businesses across the country.”

Moving freight off the roads and on to rail will help with the task of decarbonising while helping regional cities grow by providing more opportunities for jobs and industries.

The independent review is expected to be completed by early 2023, with the Government intending to release the findings of the review once they have been considered.

The Australian Government has also released the Final Report of the Independent International Panel of Experts for Flood Studies (the Panel) of Inland Rail in Queensland.

The Australian Government welcomes the findings of the Panel and will work with both the Queensland Government and ARTC to implement the Panel’s recommendations. The Final Report can be accessed at inlandrail.gov.au/independent-flood-panel.