Inland Rail representatives guests at Chamber meeting

Representatives from the Inland Rail project were guests at the last Narrabri Chamber of Commerce meeting on Tuesday night.

Inland Rail NSW engagement manager, North, Patricio Munoz and Inland Rail regional liaison officer, Angela Doering responded to questions from members on progress of the project.

Chamber member John Clements urged the Inland Rail representatives to ensure that contracts for work on the project were accessible to local small contractors.

“We want to see small businesses given a chance,” he said, with strong support from other Chamber members.

Mr Clements said other large scale projects had historically ‘given lip service’ to the concept of enabling small operators to tender, but the reality had been that they weren’t given a chance and the opportunities were ‘swallowed up by big companies.’

“It is crucial that small businesses have access to contracts” he said.

In other business, Chamber members expressed disappointment with Narrabri Shire Council’s submission to the Independent Planning Commission hearing into the Vickery coal mine extension.

Chamber president Russell Stewart spoke strongly in favour of the Vickery proponent, Whitehaven, his comments supported by the meeting.

“Whitehaven has been a great supporter of the Chamber,” he said.

He said many business people had contacted him to express their concerns regarding the council’s stance on the Vickery extension.

The Chamber will write to Narrabri Shire Council expressing its disappointment with the council presentation to the IPC.

In other business, the Chamber welcomed the creation of the new Department for Regional NSW and looked forward to working with it.

Meanwhile, Mr Stewart said, Narrabri Chamber of Commerce continued to grow, with a steady incremental flow of new business members. The Narrabri Chamber is one of the strongest in country NSW, he said.

The Chamber thanked Narrabri RSL Club, a Chamber member, for offering use of the club’s premises for the Chamber’s monthly meetings free of charge, an offer members accepted with appreciation.

“All the facilities are here, with COVID-19 safe observances well in place,” said Mr Stewart.