The demise of Inland Rail is a hammer blow for regional Australia

Whether the now-shortened, budget-busting Inland Rail project from Melbourne to Brisbane will be worth the billions already spent is a more than reasonable question. But this does not negate the profound impact it has on the plans of multiple regional councils and businesses to leverage the network for the creation of new businesses and hundreds of jobs.

Designed to improve freight movements and support inland communities in Australia’s most populated areas, the project represented a rare opportunity to increase freight efficiency and road safety, as well as boost employment, investment and long-term economic growth by shifting freight from road to rail.