AGRICULTURE Minister David Littleproud has told the Australian Rail Track Corporation to get the science right, or to get the Inland Rail off the Condamine River floodplain.
The no-nonsense local federal member and Nationals deputy leader came out swinging on ABC Radio on Wednesday, saying the work done to date by ARTC over the past three years was not up to standard, adding the government owned organisation had been contemptuous of farmers.
Underscoring his frustration with ARTC, Mr Littleproud said a hydrologist employed by farmers had continually identifying flaws in ARTC's flood modelling.
Those flaws had still not been satisfactorily addressed, including the baseline for flood modeling, he said.
"Farmers have serious concerns about the hydrological basis on which ARTC has based its assessments, not only for the corridor, but also that a proper engineering solution that will be provided," Mr Littleproud said.
"Farmers are saying if you can provide and science and then provide an adequate engineering solution that will not impact their businesses, then they are all for Inland Rail.
"But it is responsibility of ARTC to provide that, and to do that as quickly as they possibly can. To date ARTC has only destroyed the confidence of farmers."
Mr Littleproud said the Condamine floodplain route had been chosen despite it being one of the most complex floodplains in the country.
He said an alternative may be route through forestry country west of Millmerran, which would link Yelarbon and Cecil Plains. From there the Inland Rail would use an existing Queensland Rail corridor through to Gowrie.
A direction requiring ARTC to seek out alternative routes would need to come from Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Michael McCormack.
MiIlmerran Rail Group chairman Wes Judd said work on the forestry route west of Millmerran should proceed without delay.
"Our position remains clear," Mr Judd said.
"The Australian Government must categorically rule out the Condamine River floodplain routes."
"I appreciate David Littleproud would like ARTC to prove beyond doubt their modelling. They've had years to do that.
"We have had to get an independent expert to mark their homework. The mark is 'F' for fail and 'F' for flawed."
Mr Judd said Mr Littleproud's intervention, the support of Federal Opposition and the probe by an all-party Senate inquiry into the Inland Rail all demonstrated that ARTC had lost its way.
Farmers had also called on Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey to pressure ARTC to look at alternative routes for the Inland Rail, he said.
