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| Sandra Kanck Deputy Leader Australian Democrats Member of the Legislative Council |
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Legislative
Council |
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| Sandra Kanck Deputy Leader Australian Democrats Member of the Legislative Council |
Parliament Index |
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The Hon. SANDRA KANCK: I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Transport a question about the need for a railway line between Roxby Downs and Pimba.
Leave granted.
The Hon. SANDRA KANCK: Following the expansion of the Olympic Dam operation last year, approximately 1 million tonnes of freight will be transported by road into and out of Roxby Downs this year. Copper is the principal export from Olympic Dam and, when that copper is road freighted to Port Adelaide, some of it is transferred to containers and railed to Outer Harbor whilst some of it is railed from Port Adelaide to Port Kembla.
Regardless of what happens when it reaches Port Adelaide, all of that copper travels extensive distances on road with the attendant dangers of fatal road crashes and road degradation. A mere 75 kilometres of rail track could connect Roxby Downs to the Adelaide to Perth line and, eventually, the Adelaide to Darwin line. That is just one-twentieth of the length of the Alice to Darwin line but, due to the fact that a Roxby to Pimba line would need few bridges and could use second-hand material, the cost would also be a great deal less than one-twentieth of the cost of the Alice to Darwin line. My questions are:
1. Does the Minister consider that there could be benefit in the construction of a rail link between Roxby Downs and Pimba?
2. Has Transport SA examined in any way the economic feasibility of constructing a line between Roxby Downs and Pimba?
3. If not, will the minister initiate a feasibility study on the construction of a line between Roxby Downs and Pimba?
The Hon. DIANA LAIDLAW (Minister for Transport and Urban Planning): I have indicated to the honourable member and the parliament in the past that the role of Transport SA has changed considerably in the past few years. It was always a road transport agency; it now incorporates a rail section, and that section's role is not only to address rail safety issues but also to work with the private sector and the road sections to see what savings in terms of road construction there could be if freight was transferred to rail. It is an issue also in terms of the number of heavy vehicles on our roads with an expanding economy which we are now enjoying in South Australia.
Against that background, I highlight to the honourable member that I am aware that the rail section of Transport SA is exploring with Western Mining-and generally with ASR, I think-a rail line from Roxby to Pimba. I will obtain some information on that.
Further work is being done by the rail section in terms of the Barossa Valley. We would all appreciate that there are huge increases in freight because of the very big export market from the Barossa Valley. Our rail officers are meeting with Orlando and, I think, almost every other big producer of wine to see what freight could be taken by rail in future out of the Barossa, and also bottles into the Barossa. Likewise, in the South-East the honourable member would be aware that the government has sought expressions of interest from operators for the reopening of the South-East rail line. This is an important issue-
The Hon. Sandra Kanck interjecting:
The Hon. DIANA LAIDLAW: Yes, there has been a short list of companies, and there are intense negotiations with those companies. In the past I have highlighted in this place-and I see the honourable member smiling because I got very cross with her at one stage-
The Hon. T.G. Cameron: Nothing unusual.
The Hon. DIANA LAIDLAW: `Nothing unusual' interjects the Hon. Mr Cameron-also with a smile on his face, I should add. I did get cross and irritated because the Hon. Sandra Kanck was very blatantly favouring one operator, and it is definitely in the interests of this state and the public purse that we keep at least two operators interested in the South-East line so that we can negotiate the best-
The Hon. L.H. Davis interjecting:
The Hon. DIANA LAIDLAW: The Hon. Mr Davis might be right on that case. The Democrats did not support Roxby Downs; but, despite them, fortunately Roxby Downs is there. It is probably the biggest growing town in the state, and has an enormous investment in expanded facilities. We are taking seriously, as a government and as an agency through Transport SA, rail options for increased freight business in the future. I will bring back further advice on that for the honourable member.
In reply to Hon. SANDRA KANCK (15 November) and answered by letter on 20 December 2000.
The Hon. DIANA LAIDLAW: I am advised that the traffic issues and additional risk posed by the volume of heavy traffic associated with operations at Olympic Dam were fully canvassed in the Olympic Dam Expansion Project Environmental Impact Statement published in May 1997. It was assessed that the frequency and severity of incidents arising from the Olympic Dam Operations would be the same as those for heavy-vehicle transport in general. The road conditions between Olympic Dam and Adelaide are uniformly good and designed to handle heavy-vehicle traffic.
1. Since the commencement of the Olympic Dam Project, Western Mining Corporation (WMC) has continued to review the economic and technical aspects of constructing a railway line from Pimba to Olympic Dam to link with existing rail infrastructure.
The current production capacity of Olympic Dam is a nominal 200 000 tonnes per annum of copper and associated products. I am advised that construction of this railway is not an economic option at this stage - and that WMC will continue to assess the rail option in planning for further increases in production capacity at Olympic Dam. Such an assessment will take into account the very competitive markets into which Olympic Dam sells its products.
2. Transport SA has facilitated a series of meetings between WMC and Australia Southern Railroad (ASR) to examine the possibility of moving some of the current road freight in and out of Roxby Downs by rail. (Not all freight in and out of Roxby Downs is suitable for rail.) The options examined include building a new rail spur line from Pimba to Roxby Downs or setting up a mini intermodal rail terminal at Pimba. Transport SA, WMC and ASR and any other interested rail operators will continue to have ongoing discussions regarding the possibility of transferring freight from road to rail.
3. An in-depth feasibility study is not warranted at this stage. However such a study will be considered if and when there is a positive shift in potentially competitive rail freight rates.
