Inland Rail is being far from transparent as far as being open to accountability and negotiation with regional councils in south-east Queensland is concerned, in relation to the exact route and allignment of the freight rail network.
That recently was starkly highlighted by an unanimous show of opposition to the current proposed allignment of Inland Rail through the Lockyer Valley by all sitting councillors in the Lockyer Valley Regional Council, including the mayor, Tanya Milligan.
The current proposed allignment of Inland Rail, not just in the Lockyer Valley, would result in a substantial amount of prime agricultural land being lost or fragmented, bushland habitat being destroyed, and communities on the fringes of many towns being extremely negatively impacted, either through being displaced, or probably worse still, being condemned forever more being right next to where Inland Rail freight trains will come roaring through 24/7.
Not forgetting also the great risk of major floods which the Inland Rail network, being many metres above normal ground level, will inevitably cause, as identified by the Lockyer Valley Regional Council, if a lot of "special care" is not taken to ensure that the allignment of the network doesn't exacerbate the risk to areas already threatened by floods.
It's time that Inland Rail's chief think-tanks stepped up and openly and honestly addressed the kind of very serious concerns raised by the Lockyer Valley Regional Council.
If the Inland Rail network as it stands is going to destroy and fragment agriculture land, rural communities and prime bushland, it's simply not on.
The route of it must be changed as much as required to ensure that doesn't happen.
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