Queensland citizens draws to the attention of the House to the route of the Inland Rail. The Inland Rail NSW/QLD Border to Gowrie (B2G) section is one of 13 projects that complete 1700 km rail line. It comprises approximately 146km of new dual gauge track and 78km of upgraded track from the NSW/QLD border, near Yelarbon, to Gowrie Junction, north west of Toowoomba in Queensland. Of this new track, the route selected from Inglewood to Gowrie is one of the most disruptive and destructive as this area is densely populated. Constructing a rail line through these districts has significant environmental risks. Farm sizes range from 20 acres to hundreds of acres. The smaller size of the properties increases the numbers of farms dissected, and results in much country becoming useless for farming. In addition, the current alignment is planned to be within close proximity to the town of Pittsworth with a population in excess of 3000. This level of disruption is unacceptable.

Your petitioners therefore request the House send a request to the Federal Government to undertake an independent and transparent review, or inquiry, or commission into the route of the Inland Rail with the view to re-routeing the preferred Inland Rail corridor to a less impactful route.