Ignoring widespread opposition to its rail truncation plan, the NSW state government cut the Newcastle train line on 26 December. Newcastle, Civic and Wickham stations are now boarded up. Fixtures and fittings have been removed. A shuttle bus service has replaced the train into the centre of Newcastle.
 Despite a 3000-strong protest against the cut on 14 December, a Supreme Court injunction days later and a NSW upper house enquiry finding that the truncation should be delayed, the Baird government has pulled up everything but the tracks.
The state government says that eventually light rail services will replace some train services and will be funded by the 99-year lease of the Newcastle port. However, opposition to the heavy rail cut has increased since plans for the commercial development of the now vacant rail corridor surfaced and no specific light rail funding was allocated.
Although Labor now opposes the plan, under both Labor and Liberal governments privatisation of public assets and space has increased. Plans to “revitalise” sections of Newcastle through privatisation have been pushed for decades.
The government has responded to the campaign against the line closure by attempting covertly to transfer ownership of the rail corridor and associated infrastructure to the Hunter Development Corporation. In doing so, it had hoped to avoid a state law that provides that a train line can be closed only after an act of parliament. It is not yet clear if this loophole strategy will be successful.
In the meantime, the campaign against the closure continues. Since the Boxing Day deadline, members of Save Our Rail and Hunter Concerned Citizens have distributed thousands of leaflets to affected passengers.

Karen Burns

Stations boarded up as Newcastle train comes to a halt

Protesters have condemned plans for a new coal loader on Kooragang Island, Newcastle. Around 100 people rallied outside a Planning Assessment Commission meeting considering Port Waratah Coal Services’ proposal for the area’s fourth coal loader.
The Coal Terminal Action Group organised the 26 August protest to support residents and activists speaking against the proposal at the commission. There is scepticism about the impartiality of the hearing process and anger over ICAC revelations of corrupt dealings related to the coal loader proposal. Plans for the coal loader are supported by both major parties.
A majority of those addressing the hearing spoke against the project. Residents say a new loader is unnecessary because demand for coal has fallen sharply in recent years.
Associate professor of medicine and public health at Newcastle University, Nick Higginbotham, said adding 53 annual coal train movements to the 160 already approved will worsen air quality around Newcastle. He pointed out that measured pollutants in Newcastle’s air already exceed safe levels, according to the World Health Organisation and proposed national guidelines.
“The diesel-powered coal trains are a major source of toxic pollution, entraining uncontrolled carcinogenic diesel exhaust combined with harmful particulate matter”, said Higginbotham. More than 32,000 adult residents and 23,000 school-aged children living within 500 metres of the coal corridor will be directly exposed to more coal rail pollution under the plans.
The new coal loader will also affect the Hunter estuary wetlands, destroying the habitats of endangered species, including migratory shorebirds and the green and golden bell frog. The construction of the coal terminal will also involve the removal of the only large wind turbine on Kooragang Island.

Stations boarded up as Newcastle train comes to a halt

Newcastle residents speak out against coal project

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