The Moving Freight Strategy includes actions to get more freight onto rail.

Australian Logistics Council MD Michael Kilgariff says Queensland's burgeoning freight task underlines the need for long-term stability on the issue of freight planning. "Queensland's freight task is expected to climb from 871 million T to around 1,700 million T in 20 years." He says the ALC is seeking long-term policy certainty in Queensland to support business confidence and to facilitate investment in logistics facilities and infrastructure. "In particular, ALC seeks support for the Inland Rail project and the retention of the Queensland Moving Freight Strategy. "Freight planning needs to be both long-term and strategic to provide industry with the surety it needs to make business decisions with confidence," he adds. "All too often, we see new governments drastically alter, rework or, in some cases, rip up perfectly good plans and strategies, which erodes business confidence and leads to delays in investment. "The Moving Freight Strategy includes actions to get more freight onto rail, improved freight data collection and an acknowledgement of the importance of land preservation for key freight corridors. "While we appreciate the new government has its own policy agenda that it will seek to implement, by and large, the logistics industry is looking for the general continuation of the state's freight strategy. "For example, industry seeks certainty on inland rail, which is the smart solution to our nation's freight challenges. "It will provide much needed jobs and it will help meet Queensland's freight task in the future. "The logistics industry is keen for the Queensland government to provide a strong affirmation of its support for this nation-building project," he says.