The south-eastern branch of the country’s liberal party has released a statement calling for greater long-term certainty for farmers moving freight around the state via rail.
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The MSIS scheme encourages exporters to move their freight onto rail and will expire June this year.
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The Victorian Liberal party, in a statement, has called on the Andrews Government to encourage exporters to move freight on rail and take trucks off regional roads by extending the Mode Shift Incentive Scheme (MSIS).
The party says the MSIS received funding in last year’s State Budget to continue operating until 30 June, with the funding shared between regional freight terminals in the Wimmera, Shepparton, Mildura and Warrnambool.
The Liberals have pointed to a statement In 2019, from Minister for Roads and Freight, Melissa Horne which described shifting freight off roads and onto rail as “a Holy Grail for government policy” as proof that the scheme should be extended.
Instead of drip-feeding funding, the party says that guaranteeing recurrent support for the MSIS would provide long-term certainty for regional Victorian freight capabilities and encourage more local businesses to choose rail, keeping our roads safer.
Shadow Minister for Ports and Freight, Roma Britnell, says the industry wants serious action.
“The MSIS helps alleviate some the pressure on our already crumbling regional road network,” Britnell says.
“Drip-feeding funding doesn’t provide certainty for farmers to plan for the future. The industry is already telling us what their priorities are, the Andrews Government just needs to listen.”
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