Overland Train Service

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (15:07): Yes, only because the minister got sidetracked and was prattling on about regional railways.

The PRESIDENT: You have a wealth of material to ask a supplementary on.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: Only because he spoke about the regional railways, I would like to ask why the government is not holding Genesee & Wyoming Australia to account to maintain existing abandoned rail lines in the regions, as agreed to in a contract?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (15:07): I think the honourable member summed it up when he said they were abandoned. I know there are some discussions around the Barossa train and that particular line, and I know there are some discussions with Genesee & Wyoming, who would like to lease it to maybe a private operator to run the Barossa wine train. It has been an ongoing discussion. We have the railway line out into the Mallee. It is sad. Railways built a lot of this nation and a lot of other nations, but we don't have the population or the freight to make these lines viable. It would be a bit pointless to maintain it in pristine condition if the volume and the economics of it simply don't stack up.