Our rail line's broken and we need it, farmers urge

Federated Farmers Gisborne-Wairoa has thrown its weight behind a campaign to get the Napier-Gisborne rail line repaired.

“We want to create new jobs on the East Coast and we need freight transport to do that,” says Hamish Cave, Federated Farmers Gisborne-Wairoa provincial president.

“It’s no secret we’ve got constraints with our roads and this is why we need the Government to sit down with us, employers and the council to look at all the freight transport options we need.  This isn’t an ‘either/or’ as we need better roads, better shipping and of course, a rail line.

“Government policy is too skewed to the cities where Roads of National Significance are about solving congestion.  There needs to be recognition regions like Gisborne need our own Roads of National Significance to help us develop economically.

“Rail is also vital but to secure a viable rail you need to start with a rail line in the first place.

“We’re talking around $3.4 million to repair a line that hasn’t been touched since 1988’s Cyclone Bola. Even if it’s twice that, it’s still small compared to the “massive $1.6 billion government-funded upgrade to the Auckland metro rail network,” announced only last year.

“Wellington’s Capital Times newspaper also estimates tax and ratepayers spend $100 million each year underwriting Wellington commuter rail network.

“We just want a fair shake of the stick and the infrastructure to grow our region.  Doing this doesn’t just help Gisborne-Wairoa but the big cities by creating more export wealth, more jobs and more opportunities.

“Richard Burke from LeaderBrand, a big local exporter, said in Farmers Weekly he understands the rail line will hit 60-70 percent viability in the medium term but 100 percent over the long term.  Rail became central to its export programme from January as they could pack straight into 40 foot sea containers.

“That’s come to a grinding halt as they’ve been forced back to the road.  I also believe Gisborne has potential to develop a dairy industry but holding it back are our roads and a lack of rail.  It’s why we need all of the freight transport options on the table.

“Federated Farmers Gisborne-Wairoa joins other businesses and council in pushing hard for the rail line to be reinstated.  From there we’ll safeguard its future by growing the exports it will carry,” Mr Cave concluded.