THE Coalition has launched a Rescue our Rail petition, to fight for Australia’s critical Inland Rail project.

Leader of The Nationals Matt Canavan said Labor’s decision to scrap the Inland Rail project halfway through was devastating for regional communities and must be overturned.

“The Inland Rail project is nation-changing project, spanning 1600 kilometres from Melbourne to Brisbane, and connecting regional areas through Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland,” Senator Canavan said.

“It would be groundbreaking for communities including Beveridge, Albury, Illabo, Stockinbingal, Parkes, Narromine, Narrabri, Moree, Toowoomba and Ebenezer near Ipswich, but its impact would be felt across the entire country.

“That’s why the Coalition is asking regional families and businesses to sign the petition to tell Labor to reverse the decision, finish Inland Rail and back our regions.”

Federal Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey at an Inland Rail media conference this week.

It comes after Labor decided to scrap the project and instead spend another $3.8 billion on Victorian Labor’s unfunded $200 billion Melbourne Suburban Rail Loop.

Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Bridget McKenzie said Inland Rail was a once-in-a-generation project to connect our regions, get freight off our roads, and back the industries that feed and power Australia.

“The Inland Rail is an investment in the future of a more productive and prosperous Australia but by axing this project the Albanese Government is more about short term spending taking priority over long-term productivity enabling infrastructure,” Senator McKenzie said.

“The Inland Rail would take 200,000 truck movements off our roads and cut freight sector carbon emissions by 750,000 tonnes per year by 2050. But Labor is treating our regional communities with contempt, in an attempt to redirect taxpayer funds to bail out the failing Victorian Labor Government.

“This is another Labor betrayal of regional Australia and we won’t accept it.”

Federal Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey said the announcement backtracked on a significant commitment to regional New South Wales and had devastated the electorate of Parkes.

“People along the Inland Rail route north of Parkes have built their lives and businesses around this project,” Mr Chaffey said.

“They have invested time and money, sold properties and structured businesses based on the commitment that this important project would go ahead.

“Only 10 weeks ago, Inland Rail’s Narrabri to North Star Phase 2 (N2NS Phase 2) section received Australian Government approval, the last of the New South Wales sections of the project to be approved.

“I will be keeping a very close eye on where this money will be spent – instead of going to regional areas it appears to being channelled into projects such as the Melbourne Suburban Rail Loop.

“This is a huge blow for regional Australia and it shows a lack of confidence in our nation’s future. It severely limits our ability to grow industry and exports. I have heard directly from Mayors across the region about just how deeply this will impact their economies and their future.”

“I urge people to send the Federal Labor Government a message that this is a once-in-a-generation project that must proceed.”

The petition can be signed at www.rescueourrail.com