Rail Trail Opinion Piece

Hon Aileen MacDonald OAM MLC

The New England Rail Trail was a decade in the making.

It was set to transform the economies of Glen Innes, Guyra, and Armidale by converting a disused rail corridor into a vibrant tourism and recreation hub.

Thanks to the Federal and Labor State Governments is has been canned.

It promised to attract 15,000-day visitors and 14,000 overnight stays annually, injecting $5.8 million and creating 26 full time jobs.

But the Minns and Albanese Labor Governments have sabotaged the project because of their errant spending.

They simply don’t have the money to fulfll this promise because of their reckless spending elsewhere.

The decision to cut the funding has infuriated me because it affects the lives of thousands of people around the 35 km stretch from Glen Innes to Ben Lomand.

This project was much anticipated by the likes of motels, cafes and bike hire shops because of the revenue it promised to bring to the region.

Instead, this savage cut is not just a cut to a rail trail project, but a cut to the future of our regional communities.

And they’ve done it right in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.

Labor talks big about inclusion and support, but their actions tell a different story. This is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader pattern of neglect for regional NSW.

Labor positions itself as the party of fairness and opportunity, but it has shown itself as anything but.

When it comes to regional NSW, they have failed to deliver.

Their cuts to the New England Rail Trail not only undermine economic growth, but also dismiss the hard work and aspirations of communities that have planned and advocated for years.

It’s clear the Sydneycentric Minns Labour Government treats regional NSW as a second-class citizen.

We are a vital part of our state’s identity and future.

Projects like the New England Rail Trail are exactly what’s needed to create jobs, attract visitors, and secure regional resilience.

It’s time for Labor to recognise the value of regional NSW.

The New England Rail Trail deserves support, not sabotage.

Reversing this funding cut would show that Labor is serious about backing the bush.

But I know they won’t because they’ve blown the money elsewhere.

Labor has betrayed our trust and potential.

Rest assured I will continue to speak up and hold them to account, because unlike Labor, I love this part of NSW and want to see it prosper.