Byron Ballina Greens -> media -> railselloff_stalled

NSW Rail Sell Off Headed off at the Pass

In a rare event The Greens, The Nationals, The Shooters Party, and The Liberal party have united to oppose the NSW Labor Government's rail sell-off legislation. The legislation was due to come before the lower house on Tuesday. The government had the numbers to pass the legislation in the lower house but when it became clear that it would not pass the upper house, the Government pulled the bill and announced it would review the legislation

ABC News Video

A rally was held outside Parliament house on Tuesday. Those attending included Greens members and Lee Rhiannon, pro-rail groups from Newcastle, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association,  Australian Conservation Foundation, plus MPs Geoff Provest and Thomas George in attendance.Toot president Karin Kolbe gave a good speech and  was the only speaker given a sound bite  on the ABC evening news.

The minister for closing rail lines Mr David Campbell, in an apparent face saving exercise announced that there would be a review of the legislation, including only leasing rail corridors that had been closed for more than 15 years.
One may ask what that means. How long is a lease? Can someone build a structure upon the land?  Would the lesee agree to demolish a structure  if the government wished to re-open the rail line?

A shooters party spokesman said that they would not vote for the sell off until all their members who had land adjoing the rail corridors were happy with any deal offered by the government.