![Letters: Inland Rail bypass is an absolute priority Letters: Inland Rail bypass is an absolute priority](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/matthew.crossman/d4c52b0c-b011-4f72-910b-9bc2f241b5aa.jpg/r0_0_3388_2204_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
INLAND RAIL BYPASS A PRIORITY
Dr Kerry Schott, in her independent review of the Inland Rail, has accepted the importance of this project linking Melbourne and Brisbane by standard gauge rail using double-stacked 1.8km freight trains in 24 hours. These trains will have an average speed of 75kmh and replace transport that would otherwise go by road. She has made a number of recommendations to address current shortcomings of the project.
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Page 44 includes this paragraph: "In towns, like Wagga Wagga and Gatton, where the route bisects the town no immediate change should be made until there is a clear indication that train traffic is increasing. Modifications to lessen any increased disruption caused by more train traffic should be given very serious consideration and adopted. These changes may include treatment for noise, additional bridge crossings in the town and grade separation. Furthermore, once Inland Rail has been operational for some years (say 10-15 years) there should be a review of its current and expected impacts on the town. If these are significant or are expected to become significant then an alternative route avoiding the town should be planned and corridor easements preserved."
This recommendation is one the Wagga community should not accept. Once the infrastructure work needed to accommodate the Inland Rail, such as rehabilitating the viaduct across the Murrumbidgee floodplain and the raising of the Edmondson Street bridge, is done then it is too late. It will be increasingly unlikely that a rail bypass will ever be constructed. The construction of a combined rail/road second crossing of the Murrumbidgee will also not be an option.
Doug Hill, Kooringal
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HOUSING PRESSURE IS RISING
The Australian dream of owning your home is evaporating as first-time home buyers get pushed into renting and lower income renters get pushed out. At present there are 122,000 Australians homeless and four million living below the poverty line; what happened to the lucky country?
The state of the nation housing report by the government's National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation estimates 180,000 accommodations will be required annually for 10 years (a mix of single and multiple persons occupations). The overall problem is the balance between supply and demand. The pandemic reduced worldwide supply and changing government policies such as the first home buyers grants and guarantee and increased interest rates have pushed up residential housing prices.
The new Labor government migration policy for 2023 increased to 195,000 permanent positions composed of 142,400 skilled workers, 52,500 family members and 100 special cases. There are the added temporary visas, typically for study (263,000) and work (56,520). That's approximately 200,000 people searching to permanently rent or buy and 300,000 looking for temporary accommodation. The ALP aspires further to increase humanitarian yearly intake to 27,000. Australia's natural annual population growth is currently 128,000. To my humble mind, that suggests that immigration numbers are increasing the housing demand threefold. How do we sustain this demand when our building industries are going to the wall? It's easy to be philanthropic when you're not wearing the consequences.
Paul Duggan, Garden Suburb
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