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Freight Australia sale a "wasted opportunity" says IngramIndependent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram has described the government’s announcement that it has agreed to the sale of Freight Australia’s 45-year lease to the Toll/Patrick joint venture company Pacific National, as an "opportunity wasted" By Craig Ingram - 17th August 2004 - Back to News "The Victorian Government should have seized the opportunity to take back the lease and protect the taxpayers of Victoria from the future risks associated with the private control of essential public infrastructure," Mr Ingram said.
"It appears even the National Party has finally succumbed to the reality that the privatisation of the essential rail track infrastructure should have remained in public ownership.
"Freight Australia’s owner, Rail America, appears to have made a $100 million profit at the expense of the Victorian taxpayer after buying V/Line Freight from the Victorian government for $163 million in 1999 and selling to Pacific National for $285 million.
"Along the way, they have collected $35 million per year in track access fees from Victorian taxpayers.
"Last year I was critical of the delay that Freight Australia played in delaying the return of the passenger train to Stratford and Bairnsdale.
"At the time, company CEO Marinus van Onselen wrote a scathing reply condemning my attacks, patting himself on the back for the company’s dedication and investment.
"The recent sale shows clearly how loyal the company was to the people of Victoria. "It’s time for all Australian governments to get of the privatisation freight train and keep essential public infrastructure, such as rail tracks and Telstra, in public hands before the taxpayer has to bail out yet another privatisation disaster," Mr Ingram concluded.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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