BRINGING ABOUT A RETURN OF THE BAROSSA WINE/TOURIST TRAIN - A RECENT HISTORY OF FIGHTING THE MARSHALL/KNOLL GOVERNMENT
A return of the Barossa Wine Train has been a regional 'hot potato' for years, but with the activities of SARRA and others during the Marshall Government's reign, pressure on the (then) local Liberal MP Stephan Knoll to 'get behind the cause' became immense.
Knoll, as Transport Minister, approved the removal of the Barossa Line through Kroemer's Crossing between Tanunda and Nuriootpa, bringing on a 'Battle Royal' between him and the then-owner of the Barossa Wine Train (and owner of Chateau Tanunda) John Geber - a battle which played no small part in Knoll's 2020 decision to quit politics. SARRA played a part in that campaign, if only to document it on these pages and to loudly point out that Barossa tourism was (and remains) the poorer for the Marshall/Knoll Government's total lack of interest in the initiative.
Now, following the 2022 election of the Malinauskas Labor Government, there is hope that the Barossa Tourist Train will be back on track again.
While we enter this new era of hope, we thought it important that the fight for the Barossa Train during the Marshall years should remain on this site as a matter of historical record - and as a not-so-subtle reminder to politicians regardless of their allegiances that SARRA WILL NOT GIVE UP on a return of tourism by rail to the Barossa.
Below is that record of our efforts....kept in order from our last post on the matter during the Liberal reign, to our first post, further down the page.
Knoll, as Transport Minister, approved the removal of the Barossa Line through Kroemer's Crossing between Tanunda and Nuriootpa, bringing on a 'Battle Royal' between him and the then-owner of the Barossa Wine Train (and owner of Chateau Tanunda) John Geber - a battle which played no small part in Knoll's 2020 decision to quit politics. SARRA played a part in that campaign, if only to document it on these pages and to loudly point out that Barossa tourism was (and remains) the poorer for the Marshall/Knoll Government's total lack of interest in the initiative.
Now, following the 2022 election of the Malinauskas Labor Government, there is hope that the Barossa Tourist Train will be back on track again.
While we enter this new era of hope, we thought it important that the fight for the Barossa Train during the Marshall years should remain on this site as a matter of historical record - and as a not-so-subtle reminder to politicians regardless of their allegiances that SARRA WILL NOT GIVE UP on a return of tourism by rail to the Barossa.
Below is that record of our efforts....kept in order from our last post on the matter during the Liberal reign, to our first post, further down the page.
IS THIS THE WAY FORWARD FOR A TOURIST TRAIN TO THE BAROSSA?
In the turmoil which has embraced the Barossa electorate of Schubert over a return of the Barossa Train, SARRA has put forward a new proposal which could see a Barossa TOURIST Train serving SA's premium wine and tourist destination after the State Election in 2022.
Our proposal is based on the election of a State LABOR Government in 2022 - which is highly likely given the change in Electoral boundaries, and the absolute rudderless steerage of State affairs by the Liberal Marshall Government on matters beyond COVID.
With many issues like Transport in a parlous state, SA is up the proverbial 'shit-creek'.
SARRA proposes an option to reconfigure some of the 3000 Class trains (which will become redundant when the Gawler line is electrified) for use as a BAROSSA TOURIST TRAIN!
Want to know more....? DOWNLOAD a brief summary of our proposal as a .PDF document below!
Our proposal is based on the election of a State LABOR Government in 2022 - which is highly likely given the change in Electoral boundaries, and the absolute rudderless steerage of State affairs by the Liberal Marshall Government on matters beyond COVID.
With many issues like Transport in a parlous state, SA is up the proverbial 'shit-creek'.
SARRA proposes an option to reconfigure some of the 3000 Class trains (which will become redundant when the Gawler line is electrified) for use as a BAROSSA TOURIST TRAIN!
Want to know more....? DOWNLOAD a brief summary of our proposal as a .PDF document below!
| btt_way_forward.pdf |
WHAT AN AMAZING FEW WEEKS IN SA POLITICS!
The Member for Schubert Stephan Knoll - amidst electoral boundaries changes turmoil and the fall-out from his ‘parliamentary allowances’ imbroglio - has announced his retirement from politics and will not re-contest his Seat at the 2022 Election.
Knoll was once feted as the next Liberal State Premier – and in political terms, his ‘falling star’ has burned brighter than the return of the Japanese meteor probe to Earth north of Woomera.
As well - perhaps sensing that he may not have won Liberal Party pre-selection for his seat because of these issues – Stephan will leave the political stage at the next election after just one term as a politician.
SARRA was highly critical of his lack of interest in regional rail while he was Transport Minister – and remains highly critical of the Marshall Government’s overall disinterest in the benefits of regional rail generally. We rightly took ‘a bat’ to his lack of interest in regional rail – evidenced in earlier posts to this website - and with good reason. A return of regional rail services – both freight and passenger services – would have a great positive impact on regional SA, and we will continue to campaign for it.
But looking back on Stephan’s short political career the seeds of his undoing as a politician are clear:
Some of these decisions affected his electorate, specifically the removal of rail-line through Kroemer’s Crossing north of Tanunda, which has effectively severed (for the time being) the return of a Barossa Tourist Train north of Tanunda.
Stephan has acknowledged publicly that his time as an MP has taken its toll on his mental health, and for that SARRA can only offer our condolences. No job should take that toll.
He also cites his concern for his young family and the effect of being a full-time MP has had on his responsibilities as a good dad and husband. To that end again, SARRA fully understands this, and we hope that without the pressure of being an MP, Stephan can now fully concentrate more properly on matters closer to his heart.
Sadly, politics really is not a ‘young man’s game’. Politics is all-consuming. It is the province of the mature – people who can roll with the punches, people with ‘thick hides’ able to take the slings and arrows thrown at them without mercy, and people who can fight their way through the sewers of ill-informed shit dished up by paid Departmental ‘crap generators’ and others who believe their shit doesn’t stink.
Sadly, Stephan was too young – and intrinsically too nice – to take that battering.
We’ve had our own battles with his decisions when he was Minister – but we wish him well for his future - and his family’s future.
If we can offer him any advice – it would be to get out of the political arena entirely. He should not even contemplate private-sector roles in transport or attendant industries. His ghostly past will not relieve him of the ‘mental demons’ such roles might generate.
All the best Stephan. You're not the first to have made a bad career decision. It is just a pity it was so public.
Knoll was once feted as the next Liberal State Premier – and in political terms, his ‘falling star’ has burned brighter than the return of the Japanese meteor probe to Earth north of Woomera.
As well - perhaps sensing that he may not have won Liberal Party pre-selection for his seat because of these issues – Stephan will leave the political stage at the next election after just one term as a politician.
SARRA was highly critical of his lack of interest in regional rail while he was Transport Minister – and remains highly critical of the Marshall Government’s overall disinterest in the benefits of regional rail generally. We rightly took ‘a bat’ to his lack of interest in regional rail – evidenced in earlier posts to this website - and with good reason. A return of regional rail services – both freight and passenger services – would have a great positive impact on regional SA, and we will continue to campaign for it.
But looking back on Stephan’s short political career the seeds of his undoing as a politician are clear:
- He clearly was poorly advised by political staffers and most particularly by the mandarins in the Department of Transport and Infrastructure.
- His incorrect use of his Parliamentary Allowance (where he admitted he used taxpayers’ funds to rent a room in his father’s Adelaide residence) crippled his political ambitions, leading to his resignation as a Marshall Government Minister.
- His ‘life experience’ was, on the surface, insufficient to see through the crap he was being fed from his advisors, leading to politically unpopular decisions. This exposed him to attack by his opponents who could see a ‘wounded cub’ in the Den which is State Parliament, North Terrace.
Some of these decisions affected his electorate, specifically the removal of rail-line through Kroemer’s Crossing north of Tanunda, which has effectively severed (for the time being) the return of a Barossa Tourist Train north of Tanunda.
Stephan has acknowledged publicly that his time as an MP has taken its toll on his mental health, and for that SARRA can only offer our condolences. No job should take that toll.
He also cites his concern for his young family and the effect of being a full-time MP has had on his responsibilities as a good dad and husband. To that end again, SARRA fully understands this, and we hope that without the pressure of being an MP, Stephan can now fully concentrate more properly on matters closer to his heart.
Sadly, politics really is not a ‘young man’s game’. Politics is all-consuming. It is the province of the mature – people who can roll with the punches, people with ‘thick hides’ able to take the slings and arrows thrown at them without mercy, and people who can fight their way through the sewers of ill-informed shit dished up by paid Departmental ‘crap generators’ and others who believe their shit doesn’t stink.
Sadly, Stephan was too young – and intrinsically too nice – to take that battering.
We’ve had our own battles with his decisions when he was Minister – but we wish him well for his future - and his family’s future.
If we can offer him any advice – it would be to get out of the political arena entirely. He should not even contemplate private-sector roles in transport or attendant industries. His ghostly past will not relieve him of the ‘mental demons’ such roles might generate.
All the best Stephan. You're not the first to have made a bad career decision. It is just a pity it was so public.
AS THEY SAY..."A WEEK IN POLITICS IS A LONG TIME...A FEW WEEKS IS AN ETERNITY...'!
Since our story below, where the Member for the Gawler-centric State Seat of Light, Tony Piccolo, announced he was going to throw his Labor hat into the ring to contest the Seat of Schubert against Stephan ‘Grassy’ Knoll, the political Heavens have moved inexorably on….
These politically seismic shifts were predicated by the changing of the State’s electoral boundaries …overseen by an independent public-service body, whose job every four years is to adjust the boundaries based on the shifting sands of voter numbers, to ensure, as close as possible, that the next election will result in a ‘fair’ outcome, based on ‘one-vote, one-value’.
Along the way, the Electoral District Boundaries Commission (EDBC) issue a ‘draft’ of its intended changes, for public comment. In the case of the Seat of Schubert, the proposed re-draw took in extensive areas of Gawler, Mr Piccolo’s home-base. It also reduced the Liberals’ margin in Schubert from plus/minus 15% to plus/minus 5% - making Schubert a ‘marginal’ seat, and well within Labor’s grasp. On the basis of the PROPOSED new boundaries to Schubert, Mr Piccolo announced he would contest the seat at the 2022 election – and he took to the hustings with vigour, holding ‘listening posts’ in Barossa towns, and attending many events to raise his profile. The Labor ‘shadow Cabinet’ also visited Nuriootpa, where a packed audience was able to vent frustrations about the current Marshall Government.
All was going well for Mr Piccolo….UNTIL the EDBC handed down its FINAL boundaries re-draw! Gawler was taken out of the final Schubert boundary – and, remarkably, areas south of Williamstown – to the edge of the northern suburbs of metro Adelaide were included. As part of its deliberations, the EDBC must also take in ‘community interests and commonality’… and just how it arrived at the new Schubert boundary defies belief (see our map). Areas and towns south of the South Para Reservoir have always associated with the Adelaide Hills – NOT the Barossa. But nevertheless, the new boundaries are ‘set in stone’, returning the Seat of Schubert to a ‘safe’ Liberal seat with a margin of plus/minus 15%!
With Gawler now back in the Seat of Light, Mr Piccolo has withdrawn his Labor nomination for Schubert – but he will meet the commitments he made to Schubert, including a ‘task force’ to examine the return of the Barossa Wine Train (which he sensibly ‘renamed’ the Barossa TOURIST Train). He has held a first meeting of that group, and will continue those deliberations into the future. In the event of a Labor Government being elected in 2022, it is likely the Barossa will benefit from a return of a train to the area. Time will tell.
Since our story below, where the Member for the Gawler-centric State Seat of Light, Tony Piccolo, announced he was going to throw his Labor hat into the ring to contest the Seat of Schubert against Stephan ‘Grassy’ Knoll, the political Heavens have moved inexorably on….
These politically seismic shifts were predicated by the changing of the State’s electoral boundaries …overseen by an independent public-service body, whose job every four years is to adjust the boundaries based on the shifting sands of voter numbers, to ensure, as close as possible, that the next election will result in a ‘fair’ outcome, based on ‘one-vote, one-value’.
Along the way, the Electoral District Boundaries Commission (EDBC) issue a ‘draft’ of its intended changes, for public comment. In the case of the Seat of Schubert, the proposed re-draw took in extensive areas of Gawler, Mr Piccolo’s home-base. It also reduced the Liberals’ margin in Schubert from plus/minus 15% to plus/minus 5% - making Schubert a ‘marginal’ seat, and well within Labor’s grasp. On the basis of the PROPOSED new boundaries to Schubert, Mr Piccolo announced he would contest the seat at the 2022 election – and he took to the hustings with vigour, holding ‘listening posts’ in Barossa towns, and attending many events to raise his profile. The Labor ‘shadow Cabinet’ also visited Nuriootpa, where a packed audience was able to vent frustrations about the current Marshall Government.
All was going well for Mr Piccolo….UNTIL the EDBC handed down its FINAL boundaries re-draw! Gawler was taken out of the final Schubert boundary – and, remarkably, areas south of Williamstown – to the edge of the northern suburbs of metro Adelaide were included. As part of its deliberations, the EDBC must also take in ‘community interests and commonality’… and just how it arrived at the new Schubert boundary defies belief (see our map). Areas and towns south of the South Para Reservoir have always associated with the Adelaide Hills – NOT the Barossa. But nevertheless, the new boundaries are ‘set in stone’, returning the Seat of Schubert to a ‘safe’ Liberal seat with a margin of plus/minus 15%!
With Gawler now back in the Seat of Light, Mr Piccolo has withdrawn his Labor nomination for Schubert – but he will meet the commitments he made to Schubert, including a ‘task force’ to examine the return of the Barossa Wine Train (which he sensibly ‘renamed’ the Barossa TOURIST Train). He has held a first meeting of that group, and will continue those deliberations into the future. In the event of a Labor Government being elected in 2022, it is likely the Barossa will benefit from a return of a train to the area. Time will tell.
(read in association with the above posts) ..LABOR SMELLING THE LIBERALS' POLITICAL 'BLOOD IN THE WATER....'?
The likely new MP for the Barossa Electorate of Schubert after the next State Election, Tony Piccolo, is keen to see a return of the Barossa Wine Train - AND wants to explore the likelihood of re-invigorating regional rail more broadly.
He is treading carefully however - and it's up to us who support a return of regional rail in SA to contact the Labor Party - which is almost certainly likely to form the next State government in 2022 - and give 'em an earful. Pollies generally only jump when prodded by the proverbial 'red hot poker'!
Take a listen below to what Tony has to say about rural rail beyond the BWT issue - then send an email to Tom Koutsantonis, the Labor Shadow Transport Minister, to push the case for regional and rural rail.
Send your red-hot email poker to him at: [email protected]
He is treading carefully however - and it's up to us who support a return of regional rail in SA to contact the Labor Party - which is almost certainly likely to form the next State government in 2022 - and give 'em an earful. Pollies generally only jump when prodded by the proverbial 'red hot poker'!
Take a listen below to what Tony has to say about rural rail beyond the BWT issue - then send an email to Tom Koutsantonis, the Labor Shadow Transport Minister, to push the case for regional and rural rail.
Send your red-hot email poker to him at: [email protected]
ANGER BOILS OVER REGARDING GOVT'S LACK OF INTEREST IN REGIONAL RAIL
The switchboard of Adelaide's most-listened-to talk-back radio host, Leon Byner of 5AA, ran hot over over August 11 and 12 as the need for the return of rail again took prominence on his morning program.
On August 11, Leon interviewed Robert Gottliebsen the well-known columnist for Business Spectator and economics writer for The Australian, who made a compelling case for the return of rail services to regional and rural Australia as a means of stimulating the economy and creating much needed jobs as the Nation recovers from COVID-19.
Leon, who continues to advocate for the resurgence of rail in South Australia, took many calls on the subject, all of which were positive - and he promised to follow up and investigate the matter further over the days to come.
By the following day, Wednesday August 12, Leon had learnt more of the efforts to bring about a return of the Barossa Wine Train and of SA's Marshall Government's 'do nothing' attitude to the opportunity.
As a result he interviewed the train's owner (and owner of Chateau Tanunda) John Geber, to learn more of John's frustration about the impediments placed in his way to bring back the Wine Train, to benefit Barossa tourism and increase employment in the region (further detail to that is outlined in our stories further below).
SARRA also contributed to the discussion, as Leon's switchboard again lit up with phone calls from listeners angry and irate about the Marshall Government's lack if interest IN EVEN DISCUSSING THE MATTER further with John.
Below is the audio of Wednesday's discussion with Leon (thanks, 5AA!). Please get a coffee - or a glass of your favourite Barossa wine (!) - and take the time to listen to the segment. It's illuminating! (runs 16 mins approx).
On August 11, Leon interviewed Robert Gottliebsen the well-known columnist for Business Spectator and economics writer for The Australian, who made a compelling case for the return of rail services to regional and rural Australia as a means of stimulating the economy and creating much needed jobs as the Nation recovers from COVID-19.
Leon, who continues to advocate for the resurgence of rail in South Australia, took many calls on the subject, all of which were positive - and he promised to follow up and investigate the matter further over the days to come.
By the following day, Wednesday August 12, Leon had learnt more of the efforts to bring about a return of the Barossa Wine Train and of SA's Marshall Government's 'do nothing' attitude to the opportunity.
As a result he interviewed the train's owner (and owner of Chateau Tanunda) John Geber, to learn more of John's frustration about the impediments placed in his way to bring back the Wine Train, to benefit Barossa tourism and increase employment in the region (further detail to that is outlined in our stories further below).
SARRA also contributed to the discussion, as Leon's switchboard again lit up with phone calls from listeners angry and irate about the Marshall Government's lack if interest IN EVEN DISCUSSING THE MATTER further with John.
Below is the audio of Wednesday's discussion with Leon (thanks, 5AA!). Please get a coffee - or a glass of your favourite Barossa wine (!) - and take the time to listen to the segment. It's illuminating! (runs 16 mins approx).
KNOLL KNOCKED OUT - BUT IS THE JOB ONLY HALF-DONE?
With Stephan Knoll knocked out the Cabinet Ring of State Parliament, there is still work to be done to see his political corpse removed from politics altogether.
Leaving him laying on the mat of the political ring - only to be potentially revived after the next State Election - is not on...and voters in the Seat of Shubert must ensure he is removed altogether from politics at the next election.
If the Liberal Party was wise, it would not endorse him to run in the Seat again - but that is the responsibility of paid-up Liberal Members in Shubert, who get to vote on who they want to represent them, moving forward.
Might that happen? SARRA understands that the people of the Barossa - and those Liberal Party Members who will make that pre-election decision on their Candidate post-2021, are EXTREMELY angry - and hopefully that anger will see Knoll dis-endorsed so that 'fresh blood' can represent the Barossa, assuming any new Liberal candidate would be elected. At the moment, there's even questions over that.
Nevertheless, removing the head of the 'Anti-Regional Rail' snake is a step forward - but the new Minister must re-create the Transport snake by cutting deeper.
That part of the old snake - the Department of Planning Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI), the 'innards' which advised the old head - must also be fed into the meat grinder, if regional rail is to gather much-needed traction into the future.
Let's give the new Head of the Snake (Corey Wingard) an opportunity to control the thrashings of the Viper he is now in charge of...but we at SARRA will be on the case to ensure that the revitalised snake does not slither down the same hole it has occupied in the past.
We discussed the current situation - and the issues the new Minister must address - on WOW FM today (with Selections Presenter Paul Henley). Pull up a coffee and have a listen! (interview runs 15mins 45secs approx)
Leaving him laying on the mat of the political ring - only to be potentially revived after the next State Election - is not on...and voters in the Seat of Shubert must ensure he is removed altogether from politics at the next election.
If the Liberal Party was wise, it would not endorse him to run in the Seat again - but that is the responsibility of paid-up Liberal Members in Shubert, who get to vote on who they want to represent them, moving forward.
Might that happen? SARRA understands that the people of the Barossa - and those Liberal Party Members who will make that pre-election decision on their Candidate post-2021, are EXTREMELY angry - and hopefully that anger will see Knoll dis-endorsed so that 'fresh blood' can represent the Barossa, assuming any new Liberal candidate would be elected. At the moment, there's even questions over that.
Nevertheless, removing the head of the 'Anti-Regional Rail' snake is a step forward - but the new Minister must re-create the Transport snake by cutting deeper.
That part of the old snake - the Department of Planning Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI), the 'innards' which advised the old head - must also be fed into the meat grinder, if regional rail is to gather much-needed traction into the future.
Let's give the new Head of the Snake (Corey Wingard) an opportunity to control the thrashings of the Viper he is now in charge of...but we at SARRA will be on the case to ensure that the revitalised snake does not slither down the same hole it has occupied in the past.
We discussed the current situation - and the issues the new Minister must address - on WOW FM today (with Selections Presenter Paul Henley). Pull up a coffee and have a listen! (interview runs 15mins 45secs approx)
LET'S GET IT ON!
To follow on with our sporting theme on the ‘red carding’ of Stephan Knoll (see below), SARRA has been following this week’s latest athletic back-flips by Premier Stephen Marshall which has resulted in the promotion of Corey Wingard to the Transport portfolio.
Wingard, as a former sports journalist, has now been pushed into the ring to fight for the State’s public transport needs – and it will be a fight worth watching.
To follow boxing parlance, we have seen the ‘light flyweight’, Knoll, knocked out of the parliamentary fight, to be replaced by ‘light welterweight’, Corey Wingard – and a new fight to gain the transport title-belt begins again.
Who is Wingard’s first opponent? If he’s smart, he’ll take the gloves to the Transport Department and knock to the canvas the mandarins who have had control over the affairs of SA’s transport needs in recent years.
SARRA says that Wingard must successfully now knock to the canvas DPTI’s Departmental head, Tony Braxton-Smith, who, as Knoll’s ‘trainer’, made or agreed to policy recommendations which enraged the promoters of the fight, SA taxpayers.
The Adelaide public bus re-organisation fiasco was just one fatal blow to Knoll’s head as he campaigned to advance to Treasury, and to the ultimate belt, State Premiership.
The removal of Braxton-Smith is not without precedent. New Ministers – new ‘fighters’ to the political ring - have the ability to nominate their ‘trainers’, given that the trainers attending to the last boxer failed to advise on or promote a winning strategy.
If Wingard is to advance public transport – which includes the return of the Barossa Wine Train (and funding for The Overland) for much-needed State tourism – and the reinstatement of regional commuter trains to the Iron Triangle, to the Mid North, to Murray Bridge, to the Murraylands, to the Riverland and the South East, he needs to pull on the gloves and fight for ALL South Australians, not just those who live in the less-than-one-percent of South Australia’s land mass – those who live in the metropolitan area.
Will he pull on the gloves for us all? Time will tell.
In the meantime, the political corpse of Stephan Knoll needs to be quietly buried without fanfare. As now a ‘ghost’ politician, he must not be allowed to roam the Barossa and must surrender Shubert and allow a new Liberal candidate to contest the seat in a by-election.
Regardless, it is hard to see him surviving as the Member for the Barossa, should he hold on as a back-bencher until the next State Election in 2021. Thanks Stephan – see ya later!
Wingard, as a former sports journalist, has now been pushed into the ring to fight for the State’s public transport needs – and it will be a fight worth watching.
To follow boxing parlance, we have seen the ‘light flyweight’, Knoll, knocked out of the parliamentary fight, to be replaced by ‘light welterweight’, Corey Wingard – and a new fight to gain the transport title-belt begins again.
Who is Wingard’s first opponent? If he’s smart, he’ll take the gloves to the Transport Department and knock to the canvas the mandarins who have had control over the affairs of SA’s transport needs in recent years.
SARRA says that Wingard must successfully now knock to the canvas DPTI’s Departmental head, Tony Braxton-Smith, who, as Knoll’s ‘trainer’, made or agreed to policy recommendations which enraged the promoters of the fight, SA taxpayers.
The Adelaide public bus re-organisation fiasco was just one fatal blow to Knoll’s head as he campaigned to advance to Treasury, and to the ultimate belt, State Premiership.
The removal of Braxton-Smith is not without precedent. New Ministers – new ‘fighters’ to the political ring - have the ability to nominate their ‘trainers’, given that the trainers attending to the last boxer failed to advise on or promote a winning strategy.
If Wingard is to advance public transport – which includes the return of the Barossa Wine Train (and funding for The Overland) for much-needed State tourism – and the reinstatement of regional commuter trains to the Iron Triangle, to the Mid North, to Murray Bridge, to the Murraylands, to the Riverland and the South East, he needs to pull on the gloves and fight for ALL South Australians, not just those who live in the less-than-one-percent of South Australia’s land mass – those who live in the metropolitan area.
Will he pull on the gloves for us all? Time will tell.
In the meantime, the political corpse of Stephan Knoll needs to be quietly buried without fanfare. As now a ‘ghost’ politician, he must not be allowed to roam the Barossa and must surrender Shubert and allow a new Liberal candidate to contest the seat in a by-election.
Regardless, it is hard to see him surviving as the Member for the Barossa, should he hold on as a back-bencher until the next State Election in 2021. Thanks Stephan – see ya later!
KNOLL SHOWN THE RED CARD!
So…Transport Minister Stephan Knoll, to use a football term, has been taken off the field and placed on the (back) bench. In soccer terms he has been ‘red carded’. He hasn’t played fair by this supporters in the stands, and has been removed from ‘play’.
But Knoll’s red card was not for a minor indiscretion, an untimely and unfortunate trip of an opponent, nor a ‘head high’ tackle. His indiscretion went to the heart of his supporters’ hip pockets, more than the cost of a bucket of chips and a beer at the Adelaide Oval.
In the hurly-burly of ‘play’ he had, for the first and second quarters, got away with ignoring the rules – it was just that the umpire had not seen it.
When ‘umpy’ turned and saw the flagrant flouting of the rules, ‘full forward Knoll’ was promptly taken from the ground.
But is that enough? The ‘selectors’ of his team – those in his ‘electoral college’ - now must go one step forward. They must go further than the imposition imposed by Captain (Premier Marshall), and remove Knoll from the team altogether. Sitting on the bench implies that once your ‘injuries’ have been repaired, you can, at a time convenient, return to the field of play. The whole thing makes the Crows training camp on the Gold Coast look like a ’walk in the park’.
To mix metaphors, Knoll is now a train-wreck on the Barossa rail line. The wreck must be removed and the line repaired and restored, before it casts further negative impacts on the Barossa as a whole.
But wait! If Full Forward Knoll offended the rules of the Parliamentary game, how has he trampled over Public Transport issues affecting the ability of supporters to witness the game in the first place?
Has his acknowledged inability to play by Parliamentary rules spilled over and shone a light on his inability to make proper decisions on Transport matters? The unequivocal answer is YES.
Even on his own footy ground (the Barossa) his unquestioning disregard for ‘destroying the pitch’ is very publicly evident. His decision to sever the Barossa rail line for a $6 million roundabout at Kroemer’s Crossing (initially tendered at $3.2m!) draws his poor decision-making into further question.
SARRA (and others in the Barossa) have long held the view that Knoll was deeply in the grasp of his ‘full forward’ advisers – the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) – which poked idiotic transport ideas under his nose, and which he signed off on (like his Parliamentary living-away-from-home allowance) without proper scrutiny. These DPTI ‘thought bubbles’ included (but are not restricted to) the disastrous public transport metro-bus reorganisation, and the decision to tear up the rail line through Kroemer’s Crossing.
So…Team SARRA says the Public Transport viper needs to be killed off totally. The viper's ‘head’ has been severed – but it will grow a new head if its body is not ‘killed’ too. DPTI's 'throat' - Tony Braxton-Smith - needs to be removed as well, so that the Transport Department can begin afresh.
Captain Marshall in ‘defence’, keeping the ball away from the COVID-19 goal posts, needs to TOTALLY replace Knoll’s ‘full forward’ off-field advisers. NOTHING LESS will solve the need to kick proper well-considered goals through the big sticks of Public Transport.
If Captain Marshall does not, his so-called ‘success’ of fighting off the COVID opposition will be for nothing. SARRA is also waiting for supporters to realise that the Captain is only parroting the words of his great COVID defence side-line team (the Police Commissioner and his Health Department spokeswoman) who are doing an outstanding job in keeping the COVID team goalless. The Captain is only a mouth-piece for those efforts, rubber-stamping their recommendations.
Is Team Liberal worse than the Crows? Some would say that there is nothing worse than the Crows at the moment…..but are they looking deep enough….?
Knoll needs to be removed from the side entirely. That’s up to you, Team Barossa!
But Knoll’s red card was not for a minor indiscretion, an untimely and unfortunate trip of an opponent, nor a ‘head high’ tackle. His indiscretion went to the heart of his supporters’ hip pockets, more than the cost of a bucket of chips and a beer at the Adelaide Oval.
In the hurly-burly of ‘play’ he had, for the first and second quarters, got away with ignoring the rules – it was just that the umpire had not seen it.
When ‘umpy’ turned and saw the flagrant flouting of the rules, ‘full forward Knoll’ was promptly taken from the ground.
But is that enough? The ‘selectors’ of his team – those in his ‘electoral college’ - now must go one step forward. They must go further than the imposition imposed by Captain (Premier Marshall), and remove Knoll from the team altogether. Sitting on the bench implies that once your ‘injuries’ have been repaired, you can, at a time convenient, return to the field of play. The whole thing makes the Crows training camp on the Gold Coast look like a ’walk in the park’.
To mix metaphors, Knoll is now a train-wreck on the Barossa rail line. The wreck must be removed and the line repaired and restored, before it casts further negative impacts on the Barossa as a whole.
But wait! If Full Forward Knoll offended the rules of the Parliamentary game, how has he trampled over Public Transport issues affecting the ability of supporters to witness the game in the first place?
Has his acknowledged inability to play by Parliamentary rules spilled over and shone a light on his inability to make proper decisions on Transport matters? The unequivocal answer is YES.
Even on his own footy ground (the Barossa) his unquestioning disregard for ‘destroying the pitch’ is very publicly evident. His decision to sever the Barossa rail line for a $6 million roundabout at Kroemer’s Crossing (initially tendered at $3.2m!) draws his poor decision-making into further question.
SARRA (and others in the Barossa) have long held the view that Knoll was deeply in the grasp of his ‘full forward’ advisers – the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) – which poked idiotic transport ideas under his nose, and which he signed off on (like his Parliamentary living-away-from-home allowance) without proper scrutiny. These DPTI ‘thought bubbles’ included (but are not restricted to) the disastrous public transport metro-bus reorganisation, and the decision to tear up the rail line through Kroemer’s Crossing.
So…Team SARRA says the Public Transport viper needs to be killed off totally. The viper's ‘head’ has been severed – but it will grow a new head if its body is not ‘killed’ too. DPTI's 'throat' - Tony Braxton-Smith - needs to be removed as well, so that the Transport Department can begin afresh.
Captain Marshall in ‘defence’, keeping the ball away from the COVID-19 goal posts, needs to TOTALLY replace Knoll’s ‘full forward’ off-field advisers. NOTHING LESS will solve the need to kick proper well-considered goals through the big sticks of Public Transport.
If Captain Marshall does not, his so-called ‘success’ of fighting off the COVID opposition will be for nothing. SARRA is also waiting for supporters to realise that the Captain is only parroting the words of his great COVID defence side-line team (the Police Commissioner and his Health Department spokeswoman) who are doing an outstanding job in keeping the COVID team goalless. The Captain is only a mouth-piece for those efforts, rubber-stamping their recommendations.
Is Team Liberal worse than the Crows? Some would say that there is nothing worse than the Crows at the moment…..but are they looking deep enough….?
Knoll needs to be removed from the side entirely. That’s up to you, Team Barossa!
BAROSSA WINE TRAIN ISSUES AIRED ON NATIONAL ABC RADIO
The Barossa Wine Train campaign was taken nationally on Sunday July 12, 2020 - when the ever-popular 'Macca on a Sunday' program spoke with John Geber about the issue.
John Geber was able to highlight the SA Government's lack of interest in the project - and the tourism opportunities if offers to the Barossa.
He also made the point again that the Transport Minister and local Barossa MP Stephan Knoll oversaw the ripping up of the Barossa line through Kroemer's Crossing, which, for the moment, denies a returned Barossa Wine Train benefitting tourist operators north of Tanunda to Nuriootpa.
Macca agreed that projects like the BWT are important because as the COVID-19 crisis plays out, regional tourism will be increasingly critical in the months and years ahead as Australians shun overseas holidays.
Listen to the interview below - and no matter where you live, express your disgust to the SA Government on its lack of foresight. To do so, click the link here to go to our How You Can Help page.
The interview runs 3mins 10secs.
John Geber was able to highlight the SA Government's lack of interest in the project - and the tourism opportunities if offers to the Barossa.
He also made the point again that the Transport Minister and local Barossa MP Stephan Knoll oversaw the ripping up of the Barossa line through Kroemer's Crossing, which, for the moment, denies a returned Barossa Wine Train benefitting tourist operators north of Tanunda to Nuriootpa.
Macca agreed that projects like the BWT are important because as the COVID-19 crisis plays out, regional tourism will be increasingly critical in the months and years ahead as Australians shun overseas holidays.
Listen to the interview below - and no matter where you live, express your disgust to the SA Government on its lack of foresight. To do so, click the link here to go to our How You Can Help page.
The interview runs 3mins 10secs.
WOW! THERE’S A LOT GOING ON IN RAIL LAND IN SA!
OUR ANTI-RAIL TRANSPORT MINISTER MAY BE ‘LISTENING’ - BUT HE’S GOT SELECTIVE HEARING.
SA Transport Minister Stephan Knoll claims he ‘listened’ to city folk and has scrapped plans to remove a thousand bus stops in the greater Adelaide metropolitan area - but he still needs to see an audiologist.
He ‘heard’ the massive amount of objections from those who would have been disaffected by his proposed extensive changes - objections which grew into a political roar that even the deaf could hear.
But he hasn’t heard - or has chosen to turn off his hearing aid - to the roar of country people who are yelling that they too want public-transport train services to meet the same needs of those disaffected ‘metropolitanites’ - the ability to use ‘spinal’ public transport systems to get to work and to travel greater distances for health and other services not available in their immediate areas.
This includes ‘able-bodied’ country folk who would use trains to extend their mobility, but also the infirm, the elderly, the disadvantaged, teenagers who need to travel to the city for educational reasons - and those who can’t use a car, or afford one. In this respect, country folk are EXACTLY the same as city folk who Knoll has ‘heard’. It must be stated again that adequate public transport is an unalienable ‘right’ of ALL citizens, no matter where they live - A RIGHT that is the duty of its elected representatives and its public service to provide.
But Knoll’s ‘hearing’ problems are just symptomatic of a greater malaise affecting him - his ‘political health’ - which now is clearly on its death-bed.
His back-flip on metropolitan bus cuts (after just 14 days) smacks of pure political panic by the Marshall Cabinet which was also under attack by its own backbenchers on the issue.
Significantly, it shines yet another bright light (if it was ever needed) on the way this Minister is under the control of his Department (DPTI) and its mandarins, led by its Director General, Tony Braxton-Smith.
That Knoll even put out his bus proposal without even thinking of its political ramifications - and then fluffing his lines over the number of bus stops to be removed (first it was 500 until he had to admit it was 1000+) shows he is just rubber-stamping proposals like this, shoved under his nose by his Department. If nothing else it shows his total political naivety - and this from a politician allegedly being groomed to become the next Treasurer and a future Premier (God forbid!).
SARRA believes the Minister should be removed forthwith from his portfolio - and that that top echelon of DIPTI should be similarly removed. Knoll should be relegated to the backbench, until he and his Party is removed from office by an angry electorate at the next Election.
To add to Knoll’s auditory woes, he’s not listening to his own electors in the Barossa, where the Barossa Wine train proposal needs his tacit support so that the owner of the BWT, John Geber - at his expense - can reinstate the BWT service. Mr Geber wants to take the BWT to Nuriootpa, but Knoll and his department allowed the rail line to be severed at Kroemer’s Crossing, denying the tourist benefits which would accrue by allowing the BWT to travel to the Northern Barossa.
That Knoll has turned off his hearing aid to his own constituents - and the prosperity and jobs which the BWT running its full length would bring to the Valley - only reinforces his lack of political insight.
That decision is the ‘talk’ of angry Barossans, and is likely to deny Knoll his seat at the 2022 State Election.
And if that is all not bad enough for him, the fact that he and his Government have been gazumped by the Victorian Government which has stumped-up the money to keep The Overland running for a further three years has only dumped further dirt on the Liberals’ political coffin. The Victorian Government can see the benefit of The Overland as a commuter and tourist train benefitting both States, once COVID-19 restrictions ease.
Perhaps we can all chip in to have the Minister followed by a sign-language interpreter, so that he doesn’t have to rely on his auditory deficiencies. Alternatively, we could provide him a bag of batteries for his hearing aid.
SA Transport Minister Stephan Knoll claims he ‘listened’ to city folk and has scrapped plans to remove a thousand bus stops in the greater Adelaide metropolitan area - but he still needs to see an audiologist.
He ‘heard’ the massive amount of objections from those who would have been disaffected by his proposed extensive changes - objections which grew into a political roar that even the deaf could hear.
But he hasn’t heard - or has chosen to turn off his hearing aid - to the roar of country people who are yelling that they too want public-transport train services to meet the same needs of those disaffected ‘metropolitanites’ - the ability to use ‘spinal’ public transport systems to get to work and to travel greater distances for health and other services not available in their immediate areas.
This includes ‘able-bodied’ country folk who would use trains to extend their mobility, but also the infirm, the elderly, the disadvantaged, teenagers who need to travel to the city for educational reasons - and those who can’t use a car, or afford one. In this respect, country folk are EXACTLY the same as city folk who Knoll has ‘heard’. It must be stated again that adequate public transport is an unalienable ‘right’ of ALL citizens, no matter where they live - A RIGHT that is the duty of its elected representatives and its public service to provide.
But Knoll’s ‘hearing’ problems are just symptomatic of a greater malaise affecting him - his ‘political health’ - which now is clearly on its death-bed.
His back-flip on metropolitan bus cuts (after just 14 days) smacks of pure political panic by the Marshall Cabinet which was also under attack by its own backbenchers on the issue.
Significantly, it shines yet another bright light (if it was ever needed) on the way this Minister is under the control of his Department (DPTI) and its mandarins, led by its Director General, Tony Braxton-Smith.
That Knoll even put out his bus proposal without even thinking of its political ramifications - and then fluffing his lines over the number of bus stops to be removed (first it was 500 until he had to admit it was 1000+) shows he is just rubber-stamping proposals like this, shoved under his nose by his Department. If nothing else it shows his total political naivety - and this from a politician allegedly being groomed to become the next Treasurer and a future Premier (God forbid!).
SARRA believes the Minister should be removed forthwith from his portfolio - and that that top echelon of DIPTI should be similarly removed. Knoll should be relegated to the backbench, until he and his Party is removed from office by an angry electorate at the next Election.
To add to Knoll’s auditory woes, he’s not listening to his own electors in the Barossa, where the Barossa Wine train proposal needs his tacit support so that the owner of the BWT, John Geber - at his expense - can reinstate the BWT service. Mr Geber wants to take the BWT to Nuriootpa, but Knoll and his department allowed the rail line to be severed at Kroemer’s Crossing, denying the tourist benefits which would accrue by allowing the BWT to travel to the Northern Barossa.
That Knoll has turned off his hearing aid to his own constituents - and the prosperity and jobs which the BWT running its full length would bring to the Valley - only reinforces his lack of political insight.
That decision is the ‘talk’ of angry Barossans, and is likely to deny Knoll his seat at the 2022 State Election.
And if that is all not bad enough for him, the fact that he and his Government have been gazumped by the Victorian Government which has stumped-up the money to keep The Overland running for a further three years has only dumped further dirt on the Liberals’ political coffin. The Victorian Government can see the benefit of The Overland as a commuter and tourist train benefitting both States, once COVID-19 restrictions ease.
Perhaps we can all chip in to have the Minister followed by a sign-language interpreter, so that he doesn’t have to rely on his auditory deficiencies. Alternatively, we could provide him a bag of batteries for his hearing aid.
|
|
SABEST TAKING UP THE REGIONAL RAIL FIGHT IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY INTEREST FROM THE SA LIBERAL GOVERNMENT
Gobsmacked by the total lack of interest in regional rail in SA, the SA political party SA BEST has pledged to take up the issue and make it a major plank in its campaign leading up to the next State Election.
SARRA met with SABEST representatives on June 5 and reinforced the case for regional rail with the Hon Frank Pangallo MLC, who said he just couldn't believe the abject short-sightedness of Liberal Premier Stephen Marshall and his Transport Minister Stephan Knoll on the matter.
This, coming on news that the owner of the Barossa Wine Train John Geber (who also met with Mr Pangallo on June 5) has a serious overseas investor wanting to join with him to bring the BWT back into service - and assist Mr Geber's plans to develop a multi-million dollar 100-room 5-star hotel at Chateau Tanunda, which Mr Geber also owns. At a time when the Barossa really needs tourism investment post COVID-19, the overseas investor has made it clear however that his involvement is dependent on Government (non-financial) support for the return of the wine train, which he sees as a much-needed 'tourist magnet' for the Barossa. As visitors to these pages will know however, Liberal Government support for regional rail just has not been forthcoming. Indeed the Transport Minister (who unbelievably is the local MP for the Barossa) has gone out of his way to complicate matters by lifting 120 metres of track which totally disadvantages the many scores of wine and tourist businesses north of Tanunda (see our stories below).
Mr Pangallo believes, as SARRA does, that the Barossa line is the easiest rural line to be brought back into service in the short term, a development which will ultimately speed the advancement of the return of regional rail to other parts of the State.
After SARRA's meeting with Mr Pangallo, we interviewed him so that you can all see his opinions on the issue. We post that below. Pull up a coffee and check it out! (runs 8mins 30secs approx).
SARRA met with SABEST representatives on June 5 and reinforced the case for regional rail with the Hon Frank Pangallo MLC, who said he just couldn't believe the abject short-sightedness of Liberal Premier Stephen Marshall and his Transport Minister Stephan Knoll on the matter.
This, coming on news that the owner of the Barossa Wine Train John Geber (who also met with Mr Pangallo on June 5) has a serious overseas investor wanting to join with him to bring the BWT back into service - and assist Mr Geber's plans to develop a multi-million dollar 100-room 5-star hotel at Chateau Tanunda, which Mr Geber also owns. At a time when the Barossa really needs tourism investment post COVID-19, the overseas investor has made it clear however that his involvement is dependent on Government (non-financial) support for the return of the wine train, which he sees as a much-needed 'tourist magnet' for the Barossa. As visitors to these pages will know however, Liberal Government support for regional rail just has not been forthcoming. Indeed the Transport Minister (who unbelievably is the local MP for the Barossa) has gone out of his way to complicate matters by lifting 120 metres of track which totally disadvantages the many scores of wine and tourist businesses north of Tanunda (see our stories below).
Mr Pangallo believes, as SARRA does, that the Barossa line is the easiest rural line to be brought back into service in the short term, a development which will ultimately speed the advancement of the return of regional rail to other parts of the State.
After SARRA's meeting with Mr Pangallo, we interviewed him so that you can all see his opinions on the issue. We post that below. Pull up a coffee and check it out! (runs 8mins 30secs approx).
KROEMER CROSSING RAIL LINE DUG UP WITHIN HOURS OF THE GOVERNMENT WINNING THE COURT CASE BROUGHT BY JOHN GEBER
|
The Barossa train-line 'artery' which could do so much for tourism in the Barossa Valley has been severed following the Supreme Court case being settled on a legal technicality which favoured the Minister of Transport, (and local Member for the Barossa), Stephan Knoll.
The Supreme Court found in the Minister's favour after a 'pea' n' thimble' trick deal was done to allow the 120 metres of disputed track through Kroemer's Crossing to be transferred to the State under a legal mechanism known as a 'Deed of Surrender'. The deal meant the track's 'owner', One Rail Australia (formerly Genesee Wyoming Australia), 'surrendered' that part of the track to the State, to do with it what it wished. The government's 'wish' was to remove the Kroemer's Crossing track just as soon as dawn broke over the Barossa the day after the court decision was handed down. ...and that's what happened. By 'close of work' on the Crossing on Monday 27 April, the track had been all but ripped up (see the images below). Needless to say, John Geber was heartily disappointed. "It beggars belief that legal action had to be bought in the first case; had the Minister insisted on the re-instatement of the line as part of the Kroemer Crossing rebuild, he would have displayed his faith in the growth of tourism opportunities in the Barossa, fed by a tourist train." |
Mr Geber has retreated for the moment, to consider his options - but as SARRA has reported below, Mr Geber is not one to give up. As we leave this year's Anzac Day services behind us, it is appropriate to say that Stephan Knoll may have won a 'battle', but the war is far from over.
SEVERED FOREVER? THE BAROSSA RAIL LINE ABOUT TO BE CUT IN HALF…
Barossa businessman and owner of Chateau Tanunda, John Geber, has lost his court battle to stop the rail track through Kroemer’s Crossing being ripped up (see stories below) - setting back, perhaps permanently, his plans to see a tourist train running through the heart of the Barossa Valley.
Now that the Court has cleared the way for the line’s removal, it is anticipated that contractors will be told by the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, under the stern eye of anti-rail Transport Minister and Member for the Barossa Valley Stephan Knoll, to proceed with the removal of the track at the very earliest opportunity.
Disappointed, John Geber has told SARRA that his plans have at the very least been delayed - and now with his formal legal avenues appearing exhausted, he will be taking the matter to a ‘higher’ jurisdiction - THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION.
And like a Pit Bull Terrier, John intends going for Knoll’s political ‘jugular’ in the lead-up to the next State Election.
“It defies all sense of logic that Knoll and Premier and Tourism Minister Marshall can be so blind to the benefits of a tourist train to the gem in SA’s tourist crown, the Barossa Valley, particularly when tourism will be on its knees post the COVID-19 crisis,” Mr Geber said.
"Replacing the line through the Crossing - which could be achieved at minimal cost as the roundabout is built - would make economic and logical sense and leaves the option open for a return of a tourist train all the way to Nuriootpa. This is just plain common sense - but that's something Knoll and Marshall are clearly desperately short of."
“As a result, we will be campaigning to ensure Knoll will be well and truly rolled at the next State Poll,” Mr Geber said.
SARRA visited Kroemer’s Crossing again leading up to Anzac Day - and while the track remains in place for the moment - it is clear that preparations are in place to provide traffic deviation lanes over (and now most likely through) the rail track embankment on the Tanunda side, once the lines and sleepers are removed.
We also looked at the existing line further toward Nuriootpa, passing Dorrien Estate, Penfolds Barossa Valley Cellar Door, Provenance and Beckwith Park. THIS IS THE RAIL RIGHT-OF-WAY that Knoll is working with the Barossa Council to eliminate, sealed-over forever for Council’s breathtakingly idiotic DRIVERLESS BUS SCHEME!
Driverless buses scuttling like cockroaches between Nuriootpa and Tanunda — or a sophisticated wine train bringing tourists to the heart of the Valley? You be the judge. Like Mr Geber, we say it’s time to plot the downfall of Knoll at the Poll!
To get you in the mood, check further below our pictures for our video which is likely to become the 'clarion call' in the lead-up to the next State Election!!
Barossa businessman and owner of Chateau Tanunda, John Geber, has lost his court battle to stop the rail track through Kroemer’s Crossing being ripped up (see stories below) - setting back, perhaps permanently, his plans to see a tourist train running through the heart of the Barossa Valley.
Now that the Court has cleared the way for the line’s removal, it is anticipated that contractors will be told by the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, under the stern eye of anti-rail Transport Minister and Member for the Barossa Valley Stephan Knoll, to proceed with the removal of the track at the very earliest opportunity.
Disappointed, John Geber has told SARRA that his plans have at the very least been delayed - and now with his formal legal avenues appearing exhausted, he will be taking the matter to a ‘higher’ jurisdiction - THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION.
And like a Pit Bull Terrier, John intends going for Knoll’s political ‘jugular’ in the lead-up to the next State Election.
“It defies all sense of logic that Knoll and Premier and Tourism Minister Marshall can be so blind to the benefits of a tourist train to the gem in SA’s tourist crown, the Barossa Valley, particularly when tourism will be on its knees post the COVID-19 crisis,” Mr Geber said.
"Replacing the line through the Crossing - which could be achieved at minimal cost as the roundabout is built - would make economic and logical sense and leaves the option open for a return of a tourist train all the way to Nuriootpa. This is just plain common sense - but that's something Knoll and Marshall are clearly desperately short of."
“As a result, we will be campaigning to ensure Knoll will be well and truly rolled at the next State Poll,” Mr Geber said.
SARRA visited Kroemer’s Crossing again leading up to Anzac Day - and while the track remains in place for the moment - it is clear that preparations are in place to provide traffic deviation lanes over (and now most likely through) the rail track embankment on the Tanunda side, once the lines and sleepers are removed.
We also looked at the existing line further toward Nuriootpa, passing Dorrien Estate, Penfolds Barossa Valley Cellar Door, Provenance and Beckwith Park. THIS IS THE RAIL RIGHT-OF-WAY that Knoll is working with the Barossa Council to eliminate, sealed-over forever for Council’s breathtakingly idiotic DRIVERLESS BUS SCHEME!
Driverless buses scuttling like cockroaches between Nuriootpa and Tanunda — or a sophisticated wine train bringing tourists to the heart of the Valley? You be the judge. Like Mr Geber, we say it’s time to plot the downfall of Knoll at the Poll!
To get you in the mood, check further below our pictures for our video which is likely to become the 'clarion call' in the lead-up to the next State Election!!
|
WORK ON KROEMER'S CROSSING RAIL REMOVAL STILL STOPPED AFTER COURT HEARING -
(is that steam we see coming from the ears of anti-rural-rail Transport Minister - and MP for the Barossa - Stephan Knoll? You bet it is!!)
If you’re following the Kroemer’s Crossing story (see updates below on this page), you might be wondering WHAT HAPPENED in the Court today (Thursday April 2), when the matter was again heard.
The matter was again adjourned, to be bought before the Court again on April 14, when a ‘directions’ hearing will be held.
The bottom line is that this 'directions hearing’ will be where both parties lay out their cases before the Judge (the ‘appellant’ being John Geber and the 'defendant' being DPTI/GovtSA). The State wasn't ready to present its defence at the very first hearing on March 30, basically wasting the Court’s time, to the chagrin of the Judge. The second hearing (April 2) obviously didn't advance matters either....and THAT'S why there is to be yet another hearing so the Judge can be brought up to speed on the matter. …..The word is the Court is not happy with the delays on the part of the State, particularly when John Geber and his legal team have been ready to proceed.
SARRA is led to believe the April 14 hearing will be before the FULL BENCH OF THE SUPREME COURT.
In the meantime, the interim injunction stopping work on the removal of the rail-line and attendant infrastructure remains in place.
SARRA looks forward to seeing how this plays out….
The matter was again adjourned, to be bought before the Court again on April 14, when a ‘directions’ hearing will be held.
The bottom line is that this 'directions hearing’ will be where both parties lay out their cases before the Judge (the ‘appellant’ being John Geber and the 'defendant' being DPTI/GovtSA). The State wasn't ready to present its defence at the very first hearing on March 30, basically wasting the Court’s time, to the chagrin of the Judge. The second hearing (April 2) obviously didn't advance matters either....and THAT'S why there is to be yet another hearing so the Judge can be brought up to speed on the matter. …..The word is the Court is not happy with the delays on the part of the State, particularly when John Geber and his legal team have been ready to proceed.
SARRA is led to believe the April 14 hearing will be before the FULL BENCH OF THE SUPREME COURT.
In the meantime, the interim injunction stopping work on the removal of the rail-line and attendant infrastructure remains in place.
SARRA looks forward to seeing how this plays out….
NEWS FLASH!! KROEMER CROSSING COURT CASE BROUGHT FORWARD!
The Court case to determine the future of the rail-line and signalling infrastructure through the re-vamped Kroemer's Crossing roundabout has been brought forward by 24 hours and will now be heard on Thursday April 2.
As tree clearing around the Crossing has continued - which sadly saw the removal of the stately and aged River Red Gum opposite Vine Vale Road on Tuesday March 31 - news came through that the legal action brought by John Geber was advanced from its earlier hearing date of Friday (see story below) - AND interestingly, will now be heard by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
As they say....may we live in interesting times!
As tree clearing around the Crossing has continued - which sadly saw the removal of the stately and aged River Red Gum opposite Vine Vale Road on Tuesday March 31 - news came through that the legal action brought by John Geber was advanced from its earlier hearing date of Friday (see story below) - AND interestingly, will now be heard by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
As they say....may we live in interesting times!
WORK STOPPED ON RAIL-LINE REMOVAL AT KROEMER’S CROSSING, BY COURT ORDER
Barossa Wine Train owner John Geber has been successful in his attempts to stop the removal of the rail-line through Kroemer’s Crossing until the matter can be further heard in Court - but the action did not stop arborists felling minor trees - and the stately River Red Gum opposite Vine Vale Rd - over the last 24 hours.
It also has not stopped surveying proceeding, including the placement of pegs both on the Tanunda side - and the Nuriootpa side - of the Crossing, indicating where the rail line will be removed!
As we reported below (and also reported in the Barossa Herald), on Monday March 30, John Geber and his lawyer Greg Griffin sought an injunction against the work continuing.
The Judge subsequently ordered that work on the line’s removal be frozen, at least until the matter can be heard again at a further hearing, listed for Friday April 3.
SARRA’s ‘take’ on the kerfuffle is that work is likely to proceed on preliminary earthworks for the roundabout - while work on the removal of the rail-line would stop until the matter can be determined by further legal action. This was earlier indicated to us in a discussion with site-workers at the Crossing - and was hinted at in the court hearing on Monday.
Assuming road-works are allowed to continue, SARRA asks the question: Have these works allowed for the replacement of signalling, assuming the case to leave the line ‘in situ’ is made? If the current line is left in place (and new roads are constructed for the roundabout) THAT WORK MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT provision for signalling infrastructure - if nothing else, the replacement of below-surface ducting for cabling MUST be provided for. This Government likes to pride itself on its efficiency and the saving of taxpayers’ money: to meet that commitment, provision needs to be made now for signalling, while the roads are being rebuilt. That work will never get cheaper.
It also has not stopped surveying proceeding, including the placement of pegs both on the Tanunda side - and the Nuriootpa side - of the Crossing, indicating where the rail line will be removed!
As we reported below (and also reported in the Barossa Herald), on Monday March 30, John Geber and his lawyer Greg Griffin sought an injunction against the work continuing.
The Judge subsequently ordered that work on the line’s removal be frozen, at least until the matter can be heard again at a further hearing, listed for Friday April 3.
SARRA’s ‘take’ on the kerfuffle is that work is likely to proceed on preliminary earthworks for the roundabout - while work on the removal of the rail-line would stop until the matter can be determined by further legal action. This was earlier indicated to us in a discussion with site-workers at the Crossing - and was hinted at in the court hearing on Monday.
Assuming road-works are allowed to continue, SARRA asks the question: Have these works allowed for the replacement of signalling, assuming the case to leave the line ‘in situ’ is made? If the current line is left in place (and new roads are constructed for the roundabout) THAT WORK MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT provision for signalling infrastructure - if nothing else, the replacement of below-surface ducting for cabling MUST be provided for. This Government likes to pride itself on its efficiency and the saving of taxpayers’ money: to meet that commitment, provision needs to be made now for signalling, while the roads are being rebuilt. That work will never get cheaper.
|
KROEMER’S CROSSING IN COURT!
The owner of the Barossa Wine Train, John Geber, has applied to the Court for an interlocutory injunction against the removal of the rail line through Kroemer’s Crossing in the Barossa Valley.
The application for the injunction is to be heard at 10am on Monday March 30. If the injunction is granted, work on the roundabout is almost certain to cease until the matter can be argued in court, at a date to be fixed. This is a major (and costly) action to be taken by John Geber, who wishes to bring back the Barossa Wine Train all the way to Nuriootpa, as a unique tourist attraction and a tourist ‘point of difference’ which would see the Barossa prosper in the years ahead, particularly after the current Corona Virus emergency. SARRA supports Mr Geber’s efforts. SARRA understands that significant work on the roundabout is scheduled to commence the week commencing Monday March 30, when arborists are scheduled to cut down trees, including a stately River Red Gum (over 150 years old) in the way of the development. Bulldozer work on the Crossing is scheduled for later in the week, or the beginning of next. BUT IF THE INJUNCTION KICKS IN, it is all but certain that all work on the Crossing will be halted while the matter is determined in Court. EFFORTS TO RE-MAKE KROEMER’S CROSSING NEED NOT EXCLUDE THE RAIL LINE PASSING THOUGH IT! Check the image here (and our earlier story below), where work on an almost identical crossing (in the United States) has embraced a refurbished rail through-way across a round-about, with an eerie similarity to Kroemer’s Crossing. |
|
|
|
THIS IS WHAT the Member for the Barossa and Anti-Rural-Rail Transport Minister Stephan Knoll and his equally anti-rural-rail bureaucracy in DPTI should embrace!
John Geber’s legal action WILL force a re-think by the Marshall Government - and given Stephan Knoll’s very public intransigence and lack of support for the Barossa Wine Train - it is likely Knoll will be removed from office at the next State Election - UNLESS HE GETS HIS ACT TOGETHER! |
SOFT START FOR THE BAROSSA KROEMER’S CROSSING ROUNDABOUT - BUT A HARD CRASH MAY BE COMING….??
With much fanfare from the PR spin-doctors in the Department of Transport Planning and Infrastructure (DPTI), ‘work’ on the Barossa Valley’s controversial Kroemer’s Crossing began on Monday March 23 - but will the preliminary site mark-out be as far as the project will go?
SARRA (and some of our supporters) visited the crossing during Monday March 23 - only to see (and be told by on-site workers) that this week will only see the removal of ‘insignificant trees’ in the way of the new roundabout (see blue-markings on trees in our pics below) - but which, more importantly, will also ultimately see the removal of a critical section of the Barossa rail track.
For those who have been following this issue, the removal of the rail track at the intersection will effectively sever the rail line from Tanunda to Nuriootpa, rendering the rail line between the two iconic Barossa towns dead and buried.
As well, something not mentioned in the hype of the 'roundabout renewal' is the loss of railway signalling infrastructure, including underground signalling cable-ducts. While signalling infrastructure would need to be refurbished in the event of the reinstatement of train services to Nuriootpa, no provision has been made to replace conduit through the crossing as part of the roundabout works. Interestingly, Telstra cabling also runs through the intersection, and replacing that ducting will be a necessity - and we believe this has been allowed for. SARRA argues that this new ducting should be of a size suitable to take new rail signalling and other rail cabling - but we believe only Telstra's needs are being catered for at this time.
This, despite the fact that the track (controlled by Lessee Genesee Wyoming Australia - a lease now disputable given GWA’s change of ownership and now re-branded as One Rail Australia) must be maintained in operational order.
Clearly a deal has been done by SA’s Marshall Government, in cahoots with GWA/ORA, to let the removal of the line happen as part of the so-called Kroemer Crossing round-about ‘improvement’.
But is that under-the-counter deal legal??
SARRA is reliably informed that those with an interest in keeping the Barossa rail-line viable for future tourist and passenger operations are taking legal action to stop the Kroemer's Crossing work proceeding until issues surrounding the matter can be determined in court.
SARRA is not part of that legal action, but we wish those pursuing the matter legally all the best in their endeavours.
We will keep you posted.
In the meantime, check out our images of Kroemer’s Crossing on Monday March 23. It is sad that a gum-tree more than a Century-old and which has stood at (what is now known as) Kroemer’s Crossing, has been marked for removal. Like the removal of the rail line and the potential killing off of Barossa train services, this iconic and historic tree is destined to be removed by the State Liberal Government - with the specific approval of THE LOCAL MP and Transport Minister Stephan Knoll. Clearly his days as the Member for Schubert are numbered…..
(click on the images below to enlarge them...then click on the left or right arrows to navigate through them....)
SARRA (and some of our supporters) visited the crossing during Monday March 23 - only to see (and be told by on-site workers) that this week will only see the removal of ‘insignificant trees’ in the way of the new roundabout (see blue-markings on trees in our pics below) - but which, more importantly, will also ultimately see the removal of a critical section of the Barossa rail track.
For those who have been following this issue, the removal of the rail track at the intersection will effectively sever the rail line from Tanunda to Nuriootpa, rendering the rail line between the two iconic Barossa towns dead and buried.
As well, something not mentioned in the hype of the 'roundabout renewal' is the loss of railway signalling infrastructure, including underground signalling cable-ducts. While signalling infrastructure would need to be refurbished in the event of the reinstatement of train services to Nuriootpa, no provision has been made to replace conduit through the crossing as part of the roundabout works. Interestingly, Telstra cabling also runs through the intersection, and replacing that ducting will be a necessity - and we believe this has been allowed for. SARRA argues that this new ducting should be of a size suitable to take new rail signalling and other rail cabling - but we believe only Telstra's needs are being catered for at this time.
This, despite the fact that the track (controlled by Lessee Genesee Wyoming Australia - a lease now disputable given GWA’s change of ownership and now re-branded as One Rail Australia) must be maintained in operational order.
Clearly a deal has been done by SA’s Marshall Government, in cahoots with GWA/ORA, to let the removal of the line happen as part of the so-called Kroemer Crossing round-about ‘improvement’.
But is that under-the-counter deal legal??
SARRA is reliably informed that those with an interest in keeping the Barossa rail-line viable for future tourist and passenger operations are taking legal action to stop the Kroemer's Crossing work proceeding until issues surrounding the matter can be determined in court.
SARRA is not part of that legal action, but we wish those pursuing the matter legally all the best in their endeavours.
We will keep you posted.
In the meantime, check out our images of Kroemer’s Crossing on Monday March 23. It is sad that a gum-tree more than a Century-old and which has stood at (what is now known as) Kroemer’s Crossing, has been marked for removal. Like the removal of the rail line and the potential killing off of Barossa train services, this iconic and historic tree is destined to be removed by the State Liberal Government - with the specific approval of THE LOCAL MP and Transport Minister Stephan Knoll. Clearly his days as the Member for Schubert are numbered…..
(click on the images below to enlarge them...then click on the left or right arrows to navigate through them....)
BAROSSA COUNCIL PUSHING FOR DRIVERLESS BUSES FROM TANUNDA TO NURIOOTPA
Barossa Council Mayor Bim Lange confirmed (on March 14, in an interview with SARRA) that his Council is actively pursuing the option of bitumenising the Barossa rail corridor from Tanunda to Nuriootpa so that driverless buses can scuttle back and forth between the two towns.
The scheme was first proposed by the Council when Anti-Rural-Rail Transport Minister (and local Barossa MP) Stephan Knoll sought Expressions of Interest for the Barossa rail corridor in September last year.
That 4-week EOI period barely gave likely proponents the ability to submit anything other than ‘sketches on the back of napkins’ proposals, with EOI experts saying that the minuscule window-of-opportunity appeared to be deliberate, allowing the anti-rural-rail Marshall Govt to say ...”Well, we made the offer, but nothing tendered was suitable....”
It was not surprising then that all EOI submissions were rejected....well, except for the Council’s submission...? And, surprise, surprise! Anti-rural-rail Knoll, who has publicly expressed his support for ‘toy buses’, saw, in the submission by the Barossa Council, its interest in driverless buses!
Was that a ‘seed’ that had been planted...or was it an original thought by Council...? We will likely never know.....
READ THE REMAINDER OF OUR THOUGHTS ON THIS SUBJECT BY DOWNLOADING THE PDF BELOW... THEN LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW WITH MAYOR BIM LANGE (runs 3mins 20secs approx...)
The scheme was first proposed by the Council when Anti-Rural-Rail Transport Minister (and local Barossa MP) Stephan Knoll sought Expressions of Interest for the Barossa rail corridor in September last year.
That 4-week EOI period barely gave likely proponents the ability to submit anything other than ‘sketches on the back of napkins’ proposals, with EOI experts saying that the minuscule window-of-opportunity appeared to be deliberate, allowing the anti-rural-rail Marshall Govt to say ...”Well, we made the offer, but nothing tendered was suitable....”
It was not surprising then that all EOI submissions were rejected....well, except for the Council’s submission...? And, surprise, surprise! Anti-rural-rail Knoll, who has publicly expressed his support for ‘toy buses’, saw, in the submission by the Barossa Council, its interest in driverless buses!
Was that a ‘seed’ that had been planted...or was it an original thought by Council...? We will likely never know.....
READ THE REMAINDER OF OUR THOUGHTS ON THIS SUBJECT BY DOWNLOADING THE PDF BELOW... THEN LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW WITH MAYOR BIM LANGE (runs 3mins 20secs approx...)
| |||
EFFORTS TO BRING BACK THE BAROSSA WINE TRAIN HITS A BRICK WALL FOR WELL-KNOWN BAROSSA BUSINESSMAN
The widely-respected Barossa newspaper The Angaston Leader has reported that the owner of the Barossa Wine Train John Geber is fully frustrated by the State Governments lack of vision for rail and tourism - and its ‘do nothing’ attitude to the return of rail services to the Valley.
The paper reports that Mr Geber is ‘desperately keen’ to meet with Transport Minister Stephan Knoll, the Premier (and Tourism Minister) Steven Marshall and DPTI bureaucrats about the state of the Barossa line - but no-one is responding.
SARRA spoke independently to John Geber on the day the story went to press and can confirm that his plans are highly developed, including plans to bring the BWT back to operational standard.
But the stumbling block, as John Geber knows and as SARRA has said many times, is getting the Lessee of the Line (formerly Genesee Wyoming Australia, now known as One Rail Australia) to upgrade the track to operational standard, as the entity is required to do under its Lease with the State.
This is what Mr Geber wants to discuss with Knoll - and the brick-wall he keeps hitting is fast bringing his frustration to boiling point.
As Mr Geber points out, tourism to the Barossa is fast losing traction to the Southern Vales (spurred by Chester Osborne’s Cube) - and that the Barossa Wine Train would be an outstanding point of difference for the Barossa, where tourism business is down by close to 10%, according to local business people.
Mr Geber pointed out to SARRA (and SARRA agrees) that Knoll’s anti-rail stance has the potential to unseat him from Schubert at the next election.
If you’re in the Barossa Valley please go out and buy The Leader, read the story, and talk about it amongst your friends. For those outside the Valley, the story is available in the .PDF below.
The paper reports that Mr Geber is ‘desperately keen’ to meet with Transport Minister Stephan Knoll, the Premier (and Tourism Minister) Steven Marshall and DPTI bureaucrats about the state of the Barossa line - but no-one is responding.
SARRA spoke independently to John Geber on the day the story went to press and can confirm that his plans are highly developed, including plans to bring the BWT back to operational standard.
But the stumbling block, as John Geber knows and as SARRA has said many times, is getting the Lessee of the Line (formerly Genesee Wyoming Australia, now known as One Rail Australia) to upgrade the track to operational standard, as the entity is required to do under its Lease with the State.
This is what Mr Geber wants to discuss with Knoll - and the brick-wall he keeps hitting is fast bringing his frustration to boiling point.
As Mr Geber points out, tourism to the Barossa is fast losing traction to the Southern Vales (spurred by Chester Osborne’s Cube) - and that the Barossa Wine Train would be an outstanding point of difference for the Barossa, where tourism business is down by close to 10%, according to local business people.
Mr Geber pointed out to SARRA (and SARRA agrees) that Knoll’s anti-rail stance has the potential to unseat him from Schubert at the next election.
If you’re in the Barossa Valley please go out and buy The Leader, read the story, and talk about it amongst your friends. For those outside the Valley, the story is available in the .PDF below.
| leader_march4.pdf |
KNOLL'S ELECTORATE 'SUMMER NEWS' LETTER IS RELEASED - BUT DON'T EXPECT ANY GOOD NEWS ON THE BAROSSA WINE TRAIN!
The Member for Schubert Stephan Knoll (aka the anti-rail Big Controller) has released his Summer newsletter, which hit postboxes across the Barossa today (Feb 20) - but with NOTHING in it on the debate for the return of the Barossa Wine and Commuter train - a hot topic of discussion in the community and local press over recent weeks. There was one tiny mention of the soon-to-disappear rail track through Kroemer's Crossing however...."The rail corridor will continue to be preserved....and there's nothing stopping the return of a rail service in the future." (!!) Of course, SARRA argues that the track should be replaced as part of the roundabout development - cheaper now for the State Government than at some time in the future.
The newsletter released today is shown bottom left - but note the inset! This was where most of them ended up! (the inset photo was taken of the rubbish bin outside the Williamstown Post Office...)
....so we thought we'd help out the Big Controller and produce the front-page we'd all like to see (bottom right). This would get your newsletter read, Stephan - and your electorate would applaud you!
The newsletter released today is shown bottom left - but note the inset! This was where most of them ended up! (the inset photo was taken of the rubbish bin outside the Williamstown Post Office...)
....so we thought we'd help out the Big Controller and produce the front-page we'd all like to see (bottom right). This would get your newsletter read, Stephan - and your electorate would applaud you!
|
|
MINISTER PUSHES THE 'PR' BUTTON TO PROP UP 'ON DEMAND' BUS SERVICES IN THE BAROSSA VALLEY AND MOUNT BARKER.....
State Transport Minister Stephan Knoll (and currently the Member of Schubert which embraces the Barossa) has put PR spin on the on-demand bus services currently being trialled in the Barossa and Mount Barker....and guess what! It's all 'sweetness and light'!
Well, that's not what we're hearing 'on the ground', certainly in the Barossa. The service is only being trialled in what we might call the 'central' (or inner) Barossa. It doesn't extend nor connect with the outer areas of the region - or provide a connector to rail services to Adelaide. This is a service devised by someone who most definitely is 'pulling the strings' from interstate and has a very limited view of our region. We can only presume therefore that the 'greater' Barossa area is not deemed to be profitable for its operators. Say no more!
BUT SARRA argues that public transport IS A RIGHT and does NOT depend on 'profitability'. It is a service, to the public - not a 'cash cow' for its operators. Public Transport is the responsibility of the STATE - not a 'plaything' to be given away to private enterprise.
Thus this 'trial' is NOT a real effort to provide the Barossa area with meaningful public transport - it's just PR to win the Liberal Government 'brownie points'! "...LOOK! WE'RE DOING SOMETHING WHEN WE'RE DOING BUGGER ALL....!"
Well, that's not what we're hearing 'on the ground', certainly in the Barossa. The service is only being trialled in what we might call the 'central' (or inner) Barossa. It doesn't extend nor connect with the outer areas of the region - or provide a connector to rail services to Adelaide. This is a service devised by someone who most definitely is 'pulling the strings' from interstate and has a very limited view of our region. We can only presume therefore that the 'greater' Barossa area is not deemed to be profitable for its operators. Say no more!
BUT SARRA argues that public transport IS A RIGHT and does NOT depend on 'profitability'. It is a service, to the public - not a 'cash cow' for its operators. Public Transport is the responsibility of the STATE - not a 'plaything' to be given away to private enterprise.
Thus this 'trial' is NOT a real effort to provide the Barossa area with meaningful public transport - it's just PR to win the Liberal Government 'brownie points'! "...LOOK! WE'RE DOING SOMETHING WHEN WE'RE DOING BUGGER ALL....!"
See the original Knoll PR poster, below left - then check out our take on a real 'reality poster', below right!!
|
|
JOHN GEBER CALLS FOR THE BAROSSA TRAIN LINE TO BE REINSTATED
The owner of the iconic Chateau Tanunda winery and tourist attraction, John Geber, has publicly lashed out at Transport Minister Stephan Knoll (also the local MP for the Barossa) for not doing enough to make the Barossa line operational.
Mr Geber revealed his big plans for tourism in the Barossa in The Advertiser, plans which include a $31 million 5-star hotel and cultural centre in the centre of Tanunda. AND he wants to see a train-line to the Valley to bolster tourism to the area. Mr Geber was interviewed about it by Jules Schiller on the ABC 891's Drive program on Thursday February 13 - a segment to which SARRA contributed. Schiller says he's going to pursue Knoll on the matter next week - time will tell whether Knoll will take part. In the meantime, hear the Schiller segment below!
Mr Geber revealed his big plans for tourism in the Barossa in The Advertiser, plans which include a $31 million 5-star hotel and cultural centre in the centre of Tanunda. AND he wants to see a train-line to the Valley to bolster tourism to the area. Mr Geber was interviewed about it by Jules Schiller on the ABC 891's Drive program on Thursday February 13 - a segment to which SARRA contributed. Schiller says he's going to pursue Knoll on the matter next week - time will tell whether Knoll will take part. In the meantime, hear the Schiller segment below!
THE OVERLAND IS SET TO BE ABANDONED (if the SA Government gets its way) thanks to a lack of care and interest by the Fat Controllers on North Terrace. Here's our take (tongue firmly-in-cheek) on the debacle below.....
|
THE MINISTER FOR (anti-rural rail) TRANSPORT and (poor) PLANNING, Stephan Knoll (aka The Chief Fat Cat Controller) has effectively abandoned The Overland Train, from this March -
all for the want of a measly $300,000 State subsidy. He's been down to the railways workshop to tell the boys... (ohh, and by the way, he's not keen on being called the 'Chief Fat Cat Controller'....) We poked our head into the workshop, and caught the boys chatting, after the Fat Controller's visit.... |
|
WOW! THERE'S LOTS BEEN GOING ON OVER THE SILLY SEASON WHEN OUR POLITICIANS THINK WE'RE NOT LOOKING!
Knoll declares train services to the Barossa 'dead' - the sale of GWA appears to be up in the air - and Labor makes an effort to save The Overland! It's been an interesting start to 2020. See details below....
Knoll declares train services to the Barossa 'dead' - the sale of GWA appears to be up in the air - and Labor makes an effort to save The Overland! It's been an interesting start to 2020. See details below....
TRANSPORT MINISTER KNOLL DECLARES BAROSSA WINE TRAIN AND TRAIN COMMUTER SERVICES 'DEAD'
Knoll says publicly that an 'independent' summation of Expressions of Interest to do something with the Barossa rail line has found train services to the region are not viable. See more on our Facebook page.
Knoll says publicly that an 'independent' summation of Expressions of Interest to do something with the Barossa rail line has found train services to the region are not viable. See more on our Facebook page.
CONFIRMED! GENESEE & WYOMING (GW) HAS BEEN SOLD TO THE AMERICAN INFRASTRUCTURE COMPANY, BROOKFIELD - SO WHAT NOW FOR GENESEE & WYOMING AUSTRALIA - AND THE ABANDONED RAIL LINES IT OWNS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA?
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. announced on December 30 the completion of its previously announced sale to affiliates of Brookfield Infrastructure and and the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund, GIC. As a result, G&W’s common stock ceased trading on the New York Stock Exchange and will no longer be listed for trading on the NYSE.
So…GW no longer exists…..what does that mean for GW-AUSTRALIA (GWA)?
SARRA contacted GWA’s public relations’ consultancy for comment (see the response from GWA at THE BOTTOM of this article). In the meantime, taking into account the views of contractual and legal experts with whom we earlier discussed the (then impending) sale of G&W, the following issues (and opportunities!) present themselves - and now the sale has gone through, need answering.
First, let us quickly refresh our followers and those new to this site about G&W Australia…
THE POINT IS - what now for these abandoned rail lines in SA following the sale of G&W, the parent company?
In the lead-up to the GW sale it was publicly stated that GWA’S minor partner MIRA (Macquarie Investments - the Australian investment conglomerate) would buy GW’s stake in GWA - and that MIRA would be the new owner of the company (along with a Dutch Pension Fund).
THEN it was announced that GWA was being taken to court by Aurizon (Australia’s largest rail freight operator), claiming a 2006 deal gave it first dibs on any sale of GWA. The outcome of that action - or indeed whether the case is still proceeding - is not known at this time.
Below are (some of) the questions SARRA wants answers to, on behalf of the taxpayers of SA:
AND A CLEAR STATEMENT AND WARNING TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT: NOW GWA NO LONGER EXISTS AS A CORPORATE ENTITY, THE SA GOVT NOW RESUMES OWNERSHIP OF THE STATE'S REGIONAL AND RURAL RAIL LINES. ON BEHALF OF THE TAXPAYERS OF SA, SARRA CALLS ON THE STATE TO TAKE LEGAL ACTION AGAINST GWA (or its new owners) TO MEET THE COST OF REINSTATING SA'S ABANDONED RURAL RAIL LINES (as it is/was required to do under the Lease) AND FURTHER, TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO REINVEST IN AND REINVIGORATE REGIONAL AND RURAL RAIL-FREIGHT AND RAIL PASSENGER SERVICES.
IF THE STATE WISHES TO PASS ON THE OLD LEASE TO THE NEW OWNER, IT CANNOT DO SO WITHOUT MAKING THE TERMS OF THE LEASE PUBLIC SO THAT THE LINE'S OWNERS, THE SA TAXPAYERS, CAN BE FULLY INFORMED OF AND HAVE INPUT INTO THE AGREEMENT THOUGH ITS REPRESENTATIVES, THE MPs AND MLCs OF STATE PARLIAMENT.
[THE RESPONSE FROM GWA received from its public relations consultancy on January 8, 2020:
"An announcement was made on the 30 December 2019 notifying the completion of the sale of Genesee & Wyoming Inc (G&W) to affiliates of Brookfield Infrastructure and GIC. The completion of the acquisition of Genesee and Wyoming Australia (GWA) by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA) and PGGM is expected to be completed during Quarter 1, 2020, once all conditions to the acquisition are satisfied or waived. An announcement will be sent out upon completion of the sale. All operations and business continue as normal."
GO FIGURE!]
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. announced on December 30 the completion of its previously announced sale to affiliates of Brookfield Infrastructure and and the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund, GIC. As a result, G&W’s common stock ceased trading on the New York Stock Exchange and will no longer be listed for trading on the NYSE.
So…GW no longer exists…..what does that mean for GW-AUSTRALIA (GWA)?
SARRA contacted GWA’s public relations’ consultancy for comment (see the response from GWA at THE BOTTOM of this article). In the meantime, taking into account the views of contractual and legal experts with whom we earlier discussed the (then impending) sale of G&W, the following issues (and opportunities!) present themselves - and now the sale has gone through, need answering.
First, let us quickly refresh our followers and those new to this site about G&W Australia…
- In 1997, GWA acquired the rights to provide rail services on regional and rural rail lines in SA - and the above-ground assets on those lines - for just $1. A key part of the Lease (which remains in force - certainly until the formal sale of GW on Dec 30) was that the rail lines it acquired had to be maintained in operational order such that trains could use the lines within a fortnight of a request being made. GWA has NOT complied with the Lease, as images on our ‘Gallery’ page here attests - and NO Government - Labor or Liberal - has ever held GWA to account for ITS BLATANT DISREGARD of the Lease conditions. Full details of this failure of government are outlined elsewhere on this website.
THE POINT IS - what now for these abandoned rail lines in SA following the sale of G&W, the parent company?
In the lead-up to the GW sale it was publicly stated that GWA’S minor partner MIRA (Macquarie Investments - the Australian investment conglomerate) would buy GW’s stake in GWA - and that MIRA would be the new owner of the company (along with a Dutch Pension Fund).
THEN it was announced that GWA was being taken to court by Aurizon (Australia’s largest rail freight operator), claiming a 2006 deal gave it first dibs on any sale of GWA. The outcome of that action - or indeed whether the case is still proceeding - is not known at this time.
Below are (some of) the questions SARRA wants answers to, on behalf of the taxpayers of SA:
- NOW THAT GENESEE & WYOMING HAS BEEN SOLD, WHAT IS THE LEGAL STATUS OF GWA?
- HAS GENESEE & WYOMING AUSTRALIA BEEN BOUGHT OUT - AND IF SO, BY WHOM?
- HOW WILL COURT ACTION TAKEN BY AURIZON OVER RIGHTS TO THE SALE OF GWA (STILL PROCEEDING) AFFECT THE SALE?
- IN ANY EVENT, HAS GWA HELD DISCUSSIONS OVER THE FUTURE OF SA’S ABANDONED RAIL LINES (WHICH IT HOLDS BY LEASE) WITH THE LINES’ LESSOR, THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT?
- HAS GWA (as the outgoing Lessee of the lines) BRIEFED THE NEW OWNER (?) OF THE LIKELY FINANCIAL DOWNSIDES OF ITS PURCHASE, BY BEING MADE TO PICK UP GWA's FAILURE TO MEET ITS LEASE OBLIGATIONS?
- WILL GWA RECOMPENSE THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT FOR FAILING TO KEEP THE RAIL LINES IN OPERATIONAL ORDER, AS REQUIRED BY THE LEASE IT HAS HELD SINCE 1997?
AND A CLEAR STATEMENT AND WARNING TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT: NOW GWA NO LONGER EXISTS AS A CORPORATE ENTITY, THE SA GOVT NOW RESUMES OWNERSHIP OF THE STATE'S REGIONAL AND RURAL RAIL LINES. ON BEHALF OF THE TAXPAYERS OF SA, SARRA CALLS ON THE STATE TO TAKE LEGAL ACTION AGAINST GWA (or its new owners) TO MEET THE COST OF REINSTATING SA'S ABANDONED RURAL RAIL LINES (as it is/was required to do under the Lease) AND FURTHER, TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO REINVEST IN AND REINVIGORATE REGIONAL AND RURAL RAIL-FREIGHT AND RAIL PASSENGER SERVICES.
IF THE STATE WISHES TO PASS ON THE OLD LEASE TO THE NEW OWNER, IT CANNOT DO SO WITHOUT MAKING THE TERMS OF THE LEASE PUBLIC SO THAT THE LINE'S OWNERS, THE SA TAXPAYERS, CAN BE FULLY INFORMED OF AND HAVE INPUT INTO THE AGREEMENT THOUGH ITS REPRESENTATIVES, THE MPs AND MLCs OF STATE PARLIAMENT.
[THE RESPONSE FROM GWA received from its public relations consultancy on January 8, 2020:
"An announcement was made on the 30 December 2019 notifying the completion of the sale of Genesee & Wyoming Inc (G&W) to affiliates of Brookfield Infrastructure and GIC. The completion of the acquisition of Genesee and Wyoming Australia (GWA) by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA) and PGGM is expected to be completed during Quarter 1, 2020, once all conditions to the acquisition are satisfied or waived. An announcement will be sent out upon completion of the sale. All operations and business continue as normal."
GO FIGURE!]
