Inland Rail has engaged with nearly 430 local companies on the Parkes to Narromine, Beveridge to Albury, Narrabri to North Star and Stockinbingal to Parkes sections, spending some $390 million on their services.
Over that time Inland Rail has engaged with 25 First Nations businesses, spending nearly $40 million with these companies.
Some $244 million was spent with local companies on the Narrabri to North Star section, $110 million on the Parkes to Narromine section and nearly $30 million spent in the B2A section so far.
These local companies have provided a range of services including office fit out, accommodation and catering, workforce training, equipment supply, earthworks, signage, waste services, hardware supplies, plant and equipment hire, electrical and plumbing services and fencing.
In addition, Inland Rail has also benefited local communities by employing over 2,000 local residents on the project, with 20% of these coming from First Nations communities. Across the entire project, nearly 4,600 people have worked on Inland Rail to date, around 700 of whom were from First Nations communities.
Inland Rail expenditure with local companies will expand over the next three years with construction between Parkes, New South Wales and Beveridge, Victoria prioritised for completion by 2027. Contractors Martinus Rail and McConnell Dowell are already well underway building the Stockinbingal to Parkes and Beveridge to Albury sections, currently valued at more than $600 million.
The Albury to Illabo section is progressing through environmental approvals and a construction contract for the final eight sites in Victoria is expected to be awarded in early 2024.
