Mr PETER DRAPER (Tamworth) [5.55 p.m.]: The sale of the New South Wales Government Railways FreightRail operations in 2001 is another example of lost services and reduced capacity that we will probably face should the New South Wales Government continue with the sale of our electricity assets. The once great New South Wales Government Railways have been reduced to a shadow of the service once provided to virtually every corner of the State for both freight and passenger operations. Control of our freight operations was sold to private enterprise and the successful company has picked the eyes out of the business, and is now slashing services that do not return a quick dollar for its shareholders.

A number of years of severe drought have meant rolling stock that may be required to transport a grain harvest has sat idle, deteriorating, and now seem unavailable to shift the crop should recent rains result in a bumper harvest. As a result, I have called for an audit of all available rolling stock, both wheat wagons and locomotives, so we can ascertain what is immediately available if required. The revelation that Pacific National is withdrawing from grain haulage raises many more questions than just how to get the harvest to port. Since the sale of FreightCorp, and also as a result of the prolonged drought, it is apparent that there has been insufficient investment in maintenance of wagons that was once commonplace, and a similar situation exists in relation to the maintenance and availability of 48-class branch line engines.

I query the large number of wheat wagons that have been stored for a number of years on the Tamworth end of the former Barraba branch line, on lines near Nemingha and also in paddocks near Werris Creek. I am led to believe that other such graveyards exist around the State and it begs the question: What operational capacity do we have? To the passing observer, those wagons appear as though a large amount of investment and work would be required to get them into service. Should we have a bumper crop this season, what wagons would be available? Of most concern, it has been suggested to me that many of these wagons are being allowed to deteriorate rather than prepared for sale to possible competitors in the rail market. If assets that New South Wales taxpayers once owned have been deliberately allowed to deteriorate in such a fashion it is a national disgrace. The public was told that the sale of FreightCorp would promote competition and reduce costs to the taxpayer.

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Following the experiences with Pacific National in Tasmania and Victoria, will New South Wales taxpayers have to fund the rehabilitation of rolling stock we once owned, or possibly pay a subsidy to entice another operator to take on grain haulage? With the exception of coal haulage, the sale of FreightCorp has delivered a massive failure for the people of rural and regional New South Wales.

Apart from transporting grain to port, I am very concerned about the long-term job security of rail workers at Werris Creek. In addition to locomotive crews, over recent years maintenance workers at Werris Creek have been moved from being employed by State Rail, then to Pacific National and now to EDI Rail. These people and their families deserve some sense of job security, as much of their work revolves around maintenance of grain line locomotives, while some are also responsible for wagon maintenance. The people of northern New South Wales demand that grain transport remain on rail, not only to protect farmers security and maintain rail jobs in regional areas, but just as importantly to prevent many more heavily loaded trucks from using unsuitable rural roads with local ratepayers being slugged for maintenance.

These problems are compounded by the long-term reluctance of government to properly fund country grain rail branches. Slowly but surely, State governments of both persuasions have closed branch lines or cut maintenance to the point where rail speed restrictions are needed for safety reasons. This is forcing more vehicles onto unsuitable country roads, increasing maintenance costs to local government and in some instances forcing farmers to look at other agricultural pursuits. It is a vicious circle of self-fulfilment. The rail operators say the condition of the grain lines makes them uneconomical to supply services, giving government further excuses to make cuts. As a result, the grain lines radiating from Narrabri and Moree must be further threatened, with inadequate track maintenance combined with a lack of suitable rolling stock exacerbating the problem.

Once again, the sale of government assets has been shown to be at the cost of providing essential infrastructure and services to the people of rural and regional New South Wales. Our forebears, using little more than horses, carts and shovels, pushed the rail lines into the interior, opening up this country and in the process creating an agricultural economic bonanza. The Government has a responsibility to ensure that farmers can get their grain to port and that rail jobs in regional New South Wales are maintained, and that we encourage more freight onto rail to free up roads. I was encouraged by the response from the Minister to a question I asked in question time today regarding the future of our rail enterprises. I look forward to hearing the results of his meeting with interested stakeholders and also the Federal transport and infrastructure Minister, Anthony Albanese. This is an issue of great concern to people across the north-west and one that I will keep on pursuing.

Private members' statements noted.