The Australia Institute made a submission to the NSW Rail Access Undertaking – Review of the rate of return and remaining mine life – Draft Report (‘Draft Report’).

The review assesses aspects of charges that apply to access several rail networks in NSW. Specifically, it considers the rate of return Government-owned RailCorp, can use in calculations of access charges to the rail assets it owns and manages.

Some of these rail networks serve coal mines in the Hunter Valley, the Lithgow region and coal-fired power generation at the Erraring and Vales Point power stations. Despite the impacts of these activities on climate change, and the potential for climate policy to impact on these industries, climate change is not mentioned in the draft report. IPART has both a legislative and moral obligation to consider these broader social and environmental implications within their review of the rate of return remaining mine life.