Long-term potential for regional Australia

Inland Rail can add another $13.3 billion in gross regional product for regional Australia — that’s the news from EY (formerly Ernst and Young) who carried out an 8-month study looking at the long-term economic opportunities Inland Rail will deliver. 

Undertaken throughout 2019 and released by the Deputy Prime Minister in March 2020, the report builds on the projected 16,000 jobs and $16 billion boost to the national economy outlined in the 2015 Inland Rail Business Case. The EY Inland Rail Regional Opportunities Report found that Inland Rail can:

• add up to $13 billion in today’s terms to the value of goods and services produced over its first 50 years of operation
• offer 14,000–16,000 job years for regional people over the first decade — equivalent to 1,600 people working full time for 10 years
• attract investment to a range of sectors such as manufacturing, logistics and warehousing, food and fibre processing, regional airports and distribution centres 

EY looked at case studies, international examples, local knowledge and used the best modelling available to determine the potential for investment, employment and growth along, and beyond, the alignment. 

The report shows how businesses gather around transport links. It outlines some of the new investments that regional areas could see with the operation of Inland Rail.

This work was tested with industry, governments and communities with the study team heading to Narrabri, Toowoomba, Wagga Wagga and Wodonga to get people’s views. That input shaped the forecasting and tested the study’s early findings. 

We thank the communities, industry groups and local government who helped shaped this work with local data and evidence. 

Read more about the long-term regional opportunities with Inland Rail.