| Feb 2007: Cross-border Taskforce |
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The NSW-Qld Cross Border Taskforce was first announced in June 2006 in a press release. To date the only progress has been one discussion paper that we and other organisations consider very flawed. There has been minimal community consultation and we question the political motivations behind the taskforce.
The NSW-Qld Cross Border Task force was established in mid 2006, just eight months before the NSW March 2007 election. To date the only progress is one flawed discussion paper issued Feb 2007. It states that cabinet submissions will be made by July 2007, but as far as we are aware, no such submissions have been made. The underlying premise of the task force's paper is that nothing should be done regarding rail in northern NSW until the Qld goverment completes their extension from Robina to Coolangatta. That is, despite the rapidly growing population of the area there will be no consideration of rail until 2018. Further, the strategy specifically states that there are no plans to include the existing Casino-Murwillumbah line in any planning. The paper shows a poor understanding of the settlement pattern of this region. From the 2006 ABS Census we know that 86 per cent of the people in Byron and Lsimore local government areas live within 5kms of the Casino-Murwillumbah line. The paper also understates the permanent population growth and pays scant regard to tourist numbers. Community consultation has been very minimal.
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