THE State government is accused of “political spin” over pricing of the rail corridor, which has motivated the north west mining industry to turn to roads to transport product to Townsville.
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Mount Isa State MP Rob Katter was concerned that MMG would also rely on road trains once it had completed Dugald River, in Cloncurry, due to pricing and safety concerns on the rail corridor.
He said that Dugald River would likely transport far more product than Mount Isa Mines currently did.
Mr Katter said he raised the issue in parliament with deputy premier Jackie Trad last week and asked if the government could commit to reduced fees on the railway but that there was no commitment.
“It should be cheaper by a factor of almost three to use rail as a bulk mode of transport,” Mr Katter said. The rail corridor’s state obstructed the region’s competitiveness.
“Could anything reflect more poorly on the management of this great industry building asset than the fact that we are increasingly seeing mining companies putting bulk ore on the road?” he said.