[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Why Is Minister Selling Off Sleepers?_T Morris MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

MINISTER SELLING OFF RE-USABLE RAILWAY SLEEPERS ...

... While Railway in Need of Sleeper Replacement Lays Dormant
 
Tim Morris MP
Greens Infrastructure Spokesperson

Thursday, 20 August 2009
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today called on Infrastructure Minister Graeme
Sturges to publicly explain why up to 48,000 re-usable creosote-treated
railway sleepers are being tendered for sale by the Department of
Infrastructure when there are large sections of Tasmania's railway
network that currently require sleeper replacement.

Greens Infrastructure spokesperson Tim Morris MP said a lack of sleepers
is currently the key obstacle to having the Derwent Valley Railway Line
re-opened, and all re-usable sleepers in Tasmania must be used to repair
the Tasmanian rail network. 

Mr Morris also said the inclusion of broken sleepers in the tender seems
to go directly against Minister Sturges' public commitment to ensure
that all broken sleepers are "properly" and "carefully" disposed of.

"The Minister must explain why he is selling off up to 48,000 re-usable
sleepers when there are large sections of Tasmania's railway network
that desperately require sleeper replacement that these sleepers would
suit," said Mr Morris.

"There is a huge need for sleepers along the Derwent Valley Railway Line
- why isn't Minister Sturges using these 48,000 sleepers to rehabilitate
that line?"

"Selling-off broken creosote-treated sleepers is not disposing of them
'properly' or 'carefully'. When did Minister Sturges' public commitment
to the safe disposal of all broken sleepers transform into tender that
may allow them to end up in gardens?"

"If we ever needed proof that Graeme Sturges has no idea about the
issues affecting our railways, here it is. The Minister must explain why
he is selling off re-usable sleepers while rail lines in need of sleeper
replacement lay dormant," said Mr Morris.




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