Today in Question Time, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure Catherine King asked the Agriculture Minister David Littleproud what he is doing for farmers from the Condamine floodplain concerned about the Morrison Government’s Inland Rail route.
Local farmers have spent three years arguing that the Morrison Government’s current plans will exacerbate flooding impacts on the Condamine. One Darling Downs business spent its own money to commission an independent hydrologist’s critique of the Morrison Government’s baseline flood modelling. The hydrologist’s evidence is damning yet the Government has refused to address it for three years.
Today, Minister Littleproud conceded he has personal concerns with the Morrison Government’s current plans and the baseline hydrological modelling.
The Minister claimed to be ‘standing up for farmers’ and announced that yet another meeting will take place next week.
The test for Minister Littleproud will be what flows from the meeting next week. Will the Morrison Government finally listen to farmers’ legitimate concerns?
The Minister’s announcement of yet another meeting comes a fortnight after Labor Leader Anthony Albanese and Shadow Minister Catherine King addressed a rally in Brisbane with over 200 farmers from the Darling Downs and across Southern Queensland.
The large group made the three hour trip to Brisbane to thank Labor for initiating the Senate inquiry that is finally shining some light on the Morrison Government’s poor consultation on the Inland Rail project.
Labor wants Inland Rail to succeed. When in Government, Labor got the Inland Rail project underway with investments of $900 million to progress this project to the construction stage. However, the Morrison Government has for too long ignored farmers and communities along the Inland Rail route in rural Queensland and New South Wales.
With Labor Leader Anthony Albanese.