The Moorebank intermodal terminal project has been on the radar of local residents for a number of years, but 2015 looks like being crunch time.
One way or the other, the fate of the project will be decided later this year.
But before that there’s a NSW state election, which is on this Saturday, March 28.
And residents opposed to the terminal being located at Moorebank – they say it should be built near the new airport at Badgerys Creek – have decided to hold a pre-election forum to discuss the issue with candidates seeking election in the new seat of Holsworthy.
Residents Against Intermodal Development (RAID), led by Wattle Grove resident John Anderson, will host the forum this Wednesday evening, March 25.
It will be held in the Wattle Grove Community centre, located in Village Way, Wattle Grove.
The forum will start from 7pm and close at 9.30pm.
Mr Anderson says four candidates have agreed to attend so far: MP Melanie Gibbons (Liberal) Charisma Kaliyanda (Labor), Signe Westerberg (Greens) and East Ward Progress Association president Michael Byrne, who is running as an independent.
Each candidate will be given 5-10 minutes to speak about the intermodal as well as any other local issues. He or she will then take questions form the public. Eric Kontos, an experienced local journalist will be the moderator on the night.
“We wanted to give the community the chance to hear the candidates a few days from the election, and certainly their views on the intermodal project,’’ Mr Anderson said.
“And of course people who attend can ask questions after each of the candidates has spoken,’’ he said.
“It’s what democracy is about so everyone’s invited.’’
Enquiries: John Anderson, 9825 2794 or 0409 368 603.
• Late last year Moorebank Intermodal Company (MIC) CEO, Ian Hunt, announced that after a six-month negotiation, MIC and the Sydney Intermodal Terminal Alliance (SIMTA) – comprising Qube Holdings and Aurizon Holdings – had reached an agreement to develop the Moorebank project on a whole of precinct basis. If the agreement is approved, SIMTA would develop and operate a Moorebank freight precinct on a site comprising land owned by SIMTA and the Commonwealth. The precinct will include an open access importexport (IMEX) freight terminal with an ultimate capacity of 1.05 million containers a year, and an open access interstate freight terminal with an ultimate capacity of 500,000 containers a year.
