The northern New South Wales section of the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail project is set to ramp up after approval was given for the Narrabri to North Star Environmental Impact Statement.
Inland Rail is expected to support 5000 jobs in New South Wales during its construction, with further activity now anticipated for the northern region of the state.
The recently completed Parkes to Narromine section of Inland Rail saw a boost to concrete supply, suggesting that further activity is on the horizon for the extractive industry.
The Federal Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government Mark Coulton said Inland Rail will be a “game changer” for northern NSW.
“Inland Rail will be a game changer in northern NSW and there are endless opportunities for local businesses to take advantage of the next stage of construction between Narrabri and North Star,” Coulton, who is the Federal Member for Parkes, said.
“The first recently completed section – Parkes to Narromine – provided a significant boost to businesses across a range of industries, including concrete supply, transportation, fencing, earthmoving, accommodation, hospitality and security in what has been a difficult time for many rural businesses with drought, fires and now COVID-19.”
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the approval will provide more certainty on the projects delivery and bring more local jobs into the pipeline.
“People have been talking about Inland Rail line for more than a century and this Liberal and Nationals Government is making it a reality,” McCormack, who is also the Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, said.
“Inland Rail will play a key role in getting our economy back on track because it means more people in jobs and it means more productivity for so many industries and local businesses.
“On the Parkes to Narromine section, 1800 jobs were supported and more than $109 million was spent with 99 local businesses – we’re looking forward to seeing northern New South Wales enjoy similar benefits soon with construction on this section starting later this year.”