The first Inland Rail Regional Liaison Officer (RLO) has been appointed to lead the newly opened Moree regional office.
The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development has given the position to local resident Angela Doering who will be based in Moree and work with communities and local businesses along the alignment.
The Moree office will cover Inland Rail from Narrabri in New South Wales to the Queensland border and help locals identify and connect to the benefits of Inland Rail.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Michael McCormack, said the office would provide a greater link between community and Government.
“Inland Rail is expected to support 5,000 jobs in New South Wales and provide a boost of more than $2.5 billion to the state economy, so it’s vital that we have specialist expertise working with businesses and local communities to connect people to these benefits,” Mr McCormack said.
“This office will provide the opportunity for Moree and surrounding communities to talk directly to Government about regional development outcomes and economic opportunities available ahead of the construction of the next section of Inland Rail – the Narrabri to North Star (N2NS).”
Finance Minister, Mathias Cormann, said, “Investing in our national freight network will improve connections between our regional communities and important domestic and international markets, ensuring our producers and manufacturers remain globally competitive.”
Member for Parkes and Minister for Regional Services, Decentralisation and Local Government, Mark Coulton, said Moree and the surrounding region is uniquely positioned to drive future freight productivity through road and rail connections to Inland Rail.
“Moree is already one of the highest producing agricultural shires in Australia, Narrabri has just successfully launched its Inland Port concept and Gwydir has real aspirations about benefiting from Inland Rail,” Mr Coulton said.
“Our investment through Inland Rail builds the essential connections that this region needs to further grow and strengthen their markets, and with the Moree Regional Office now open we can really focus on maximising those outcomes.
“I’m thrilled that local resident Angela Doering has been appointed to the Moree office and will be on the ground to support the implementation of Australian Government programs such as the Inland Rail Interface Improvement Program and expansion of the CSIRO’s Inland Rail TraNSIT study to model potential Inland Rail cost savings.”
Mr Coulton said that Ms Doering’s local knowledge and connection to the community would be a unique advantage in the delivery of the Inland Rail project.
“The Moree RLO will work with industry and community during Inland Rail’s planning and design including for the important Macintyre River crossing.
“The Moree office demonstrates the Government’s commitment to engage with regional communities through its Decentralisation Agenda, supporting strong and vibrant regional economies through the creation of local jobs, economic diversification and regional growth.
“Inland Rail provides the opportunity for further growth and the programs we’re delivering will better connect the region to far-reaching ports through an enhanced national network, creating new supply chains that build prosperity in the region – moving the wheat, barley and produce the region is famous for.”
The Moree Office is part of a broader network of Inland Rail Regional Offices and will complement the regional activities of Australian Government staff already established offices in Wodonga, Dubbo and Toowoomba. Inland Rail developer, the Australian Rail Track Corporation, also has a network of local support staff in regional centres.
