Dubbo is fast becoming a “regional economic powerhouse” and will gain massive benefits from being home to a proposed new rail maintenance facility, Dubbo MP Troy Grant says.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The new industry would not only bring up to 100 jobs but stimulate other sectors of the region’s economy, he said.
The NSW government announced on Monday it had identified Dubbo as the preferred location for a new maintenance facility as it makes a significant new investment in regional rail services.
The entire fleet of XPTs, Xplorers and Endeavour trains will also be replaced, and are expected to roll on to the tracks in the early 2020s.
Mr Grant stood with Deputy Premier John Barilaro as the announcement was made at Dubbo’s railway station on Monday.
The Dubbo MP said the region would benefit from the maintenance facility long into the future.
“To have a new industry start up in your community brings not only the 100 jobs but all those extra multiplier opportunities, the businesses, the catering, the extra housing that will be needed for people to live in,” he said.
Mr Grant acknowledged some communities would not be happy that Dubbo had been chosen for the rail maintenance facility.
But that’s what happened when “you don’t have someone at the decision-making table of government”, he said.
“That’s a consequence and as I said, Dubbo’s becoming more and more obvious because of the connectivity to the whole state,” he said.
“Its geographical location is far superior to Orange.
“The investment appetite is far superior here in Dubbo and it’s just the obvious and most ideal place.”
Mr Barilaro told media assembled at the railway station that Dubbo was a standout location for the maintenance facility and the best choice to serve the broader regional network.
He highlighted Dubbo’s advantage of being “central” and said other locations did not compare.
He told of the government’s plans to increase rail passenger numbers in regional NSW by putting modern trains on the track and then toured the greenfield site earmarked for the proposed maintenance centre.
“This is about the right decision and the point being Dubbo was a country mile ahead of Orange or Lithgow or even Taree,” he said.
“I mean all those communities have every right to fight for this opportunity but when we make these decisions we have got to make what is best for the broader network and that is why Dubbo has been picked.
“Because it is the best decision for the broader network when it comes to, not just maintaining but of course scheduling.”
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
