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8 iNarrabri Magazine March 5th - March 18th
Advertising Feature
by Mick Daley | media officer
The future of Narrabri’s rail
service is a mystery that Rohan
Boehm is very keen to solve. Ru-
mours are flying that the vital rail
link is in danger of being closed
by the Coalition were they to win
the state election on March 28.
“The Coalition’s track record on
privatization shows an ideology
that they are determined to run
down every community service
in this way,” says the Independent
candidate for the Barwon elec-
torate.
“They’ve already announced the
privatization of Homecare, which
will leave our frail and elderly
people at the tender mercies of
private companies whose main
agenda is profit, not good care.
Mike Baird is furiously trying to
push the sale of our poles and
wires, which will close down a
revenue stream of $1.7 billion a
year.
“It’s the worst-kept secret in NSW
politics that the Coalition intend
to scrap rail services to the bush.
At one point the Armidale to
Tamworth line was closed down
under the Coalition’s watch and
it took an Independent to work
with the community to get it
opened again.”
Rohan is amazed that a local
member could be so out of touch
with his electorate that he would
consider abolishing such a crucial
service.
“Wouldn’t the local member say
he’s going to fight tooth and nail
to save our service?
“Kevin Humphries will not be
drawn on the future of the rail-
way service and we do know that
Countrylink’s Sydney-to Moree
route is under very significant
threat. That’s a serious source
of tourism revenue for Moree,
with people travelling to go to
the hot baths. You have to ask,
doesn’t Humphries consider his
own town important enough to
protect?”
“The Narrabri link is also an im-
portant piece of tourism infra-
structure and that’s bringing
important income to our region
that can’t be ignored.”
“I’ve taken that train frequently
with my wife and my grandkids.
I’ve always found it a relaxing way
to visit Sydney. It’s pretty punctual
and the pies aren’t bad either.
“The fact that both carriages are
full on the journey to Sydney
and back again demonstrates its
importance to Narrabri people.
A conductor assured me it was
pretty much always booked out.
“It’s an important social and busi-
ness link for Narrabri people and
those from the surrounding dis-
tricts. For many elderly people
who like to visit family it’s their
only way out of town. As the
combination of an inactive coun-
cil and a member with the Coali-
tion’s agenda has left our airport
unable to take commercial traffic,
the Countrylink train is our last
great link to the cities and sur-
rounding towns.
“Not everyone drives a car, and
Kevin Humphries is evidently of
the same opinion as his fellow
Coalition member Joe Hockey,
who famously quipped that that
luxury is only for the rich.”
“My core role as an Independent
in the seat of Barwon would be
to take these concerns to Sydney
and see that key services and in-
frastructure like the rail line are
retained to bush towns like Nar-
rabri.
“The problem with this govern-
ment is they are a centralized
bureaucracy who are only inter-
ested in efficiency dividends. Well
let me tell you, rural communities
aren’t efficiency dividends. They
are made up of living breathing
people who choose to live in the
country and deserve the quality
of life they work towards.”
re
the mystery of the vanishing train...
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