Mr THOMAS GEORGE (Lismore) [1.20 p.m.]: This week we have heard much debate in this place about what the Government is doing with the Federal stimulus package and what we are not doing.

[Interruption]

You will have your chance in a minute. The people of the North Coast want what this Government wiped out some five years ago. I call once again for the reinstatement of the Casino to Murwillumbah rail service. The Government could provide stimulus to the North Coast by reinstating that rail service. It would not only support the region's transport industry but also support tourism and industry along the line. The Federal members for Page and for Richmond made much noise about how they would support the reinstatement of this rail service. However, to date neither they nor any of their colleagues have pushed for the project to be part of the stimulus package.

A reinstated Casino to Murwillumbah service must be extended to the Queensland border to support the region's transport and tourism industries. For the past five years this Labor Government has said that it was working with the Queensland Government to produce a cross-border report on the reinstatement of the rail service. A headline in this morning's edition of the Northern Star declares "Govt to tell truth on train." The people of the North Coast have had enough. Thanks to the efforts yesterday of Jenny Gardiner and her supporters in the other place, pressure was finally put on the Government to provide the so-called secret report, which has been unavailable. We have since learnt that the report was available last July but was not released.

The other startling fact we have learnt is that this so-called comprehensive report could be just three pages! The report for which the community has been waiting and on which the Government has been working with the Queensland Government has been ready since last July but was not released and could be all of three pages. How serious is this Government about stimulating the New South Wales economy? Many members on this side of the House have tried to indicate to the Government where improvements could be made to stimulate our economy, but our efforts were to no avail. An article in this morning's edition of the Northern Star headed "Why be so secretive over rail line report?" by editor Alex Easton states:

If the NSW Government did not like the Northern Rivers' rail line when it axed the service in 2004, it must hate it now.

When he pulled the XPT from the line, then Transport Minister Michael Costa pleaded economic reasons, saying the State's finances were in dire trouble

That was back in 2004! Now the Government is saying that this State is in trouble because of the global financial situation. Michael Costa said that in 2004. Again, I ask the Government to consider the needs of the North Coast, not just the electorate of Lismore. I demand that it reinstate the Casino to Murwillumbah rail service and extend it to Tweed Heads.