Transport Minister Simon O’Brien said the SGNC canvassed many complex issues in the report and it was now important those local governments and communities directly affected were given the opportunity to hear a first-hand explanation of the report by its authors.

“With this in mind, I have written to all affected local governments through the WA Local Government Association with the offer of a series of briefings and information sessions on the review and its findings,” Mr O’Brien said.

“Transport Department officers and the SGNC chairman will be available to explain the content and detail of the report and also to answer questions.

“While the State Government had acted urgently to ensure the immediate future of the State’s grain rail network was secure, the Government must consider how to tackle the longer-term issues identified in the report – an issue made even more compelling by the deregulation of the wheat market.”

In January the Government announced an urgent $30million investment in the State’s grain freight network.

The investment will fund urgently required rail maintenance work on the Avon to Albany line including a rail equalising cost access scheme designed to make transporting grain by rail cost competitive with transporting it by road in the Kwinana South Zone; and project development and pre-construction activities on the proposed Chester Pass Road upgrade, a key north-south regional road route linking Albany and the southern Wheatbelt.

The Minister stressed these announcements were just an immediate response to the issues at hand and that overarching, long-term funding decisions would be made after further analysis.

“The State Government is working with the Federal Government to develop a plan for long-term strategic investment in the grain logistics network,” he said.