Genesee & Wyoming Australia selected for RiFL Hub negotiations

29 September 2015

For immediate release

Genesee & Wyoming Australia selected for RiFL Hub negotiations

Council last night selected Genesee & Wyoming Australia Pty Ltd as the new preferred proponent for the Riverina Intermodal Freight and Logistics (RiFL) Hub.

Genesee & Wyoming Australia is a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming Incorporated (G&W Inc. NYSE Ticker: “GWR”), an approximately US$3.5 billion/AUD$5.0 billion global rail company with operations in Australia, the United States, Canada, Europe and the United Kingdom.

“The RiFL Hub has always been about Council partnering with all levels of government and the private sector to provide regional business access to a competitive freight solution that will open up commercial opportunities to the nation and the world,” Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Rod Kendall said.

“Council took positive steps last night to enable the planning and construction of new road infrastructure at Bomen, which in the future, will eliminate the level rail crossing at Dampier Street and improve truck productivity.

“Essentially, the road infrastructure is proposed to be Stage One of the RiFL Hub Program, and we are hopeful of securing NSW Government support towards this critical infrastructure. Stage Two will happen concurrently and involves Genesee & Wyoming Australia.

“We look forward to working with Genesee & Wyoming Australia in exploring the RiFL Hub with a view of commencing development when terms have been agreed and subject to viability.”

“Genesee & Wyoming was pleased to be announced as the preferred proponent and welcomed the opportunity to partner with the Council to finalise the investment case for such a key regional transport project,” Genesee & Wyoming Australia (GWA) Managing Director Greg Pauline said.

“This is a key economic opportunity for the Riverina and we look forward to working closely in partnership with the Council to build a robust case to bring its intermodal objectives to fruition.

“Importantly, Wagga Wagga has been included as part of the strategic route for the now Federal and State Government-backed Inland Rail project and this will further assist the business case for the RiFL Hub.”

The terms of an exclusivity agreement will now be negotiated with Genesee & Wyoming Australia. Both parties propose to enter into a period of disclosure and negotiation (on an exclusive basis) to determine whether the RiFL Hub component of

the development is commercially viable. If so, the contractual and legal terms of the contracts to deliver the RiFL Hub will form part of the negotiations and be considered further by Council in the future.

Both Stages of the RiFL Hub Program (Stage One – Bomen Enabling Roads and RiFL Hub facilitation works, Stage Two – Rail infrastructure and Terminals), will be considered further by Council before construction commences.

The RiFL Hub has been designed to deliver the following to the region, NSW and the nation:

 A highly efficient and cost effective intermodal operation

 Reduced cost of logistics in the supply chain

 Ongoing growth of state and regional economies and long term employment opportunities

 Support the State of NSW’s and Federal Government’s significant investment in rail infrastructure

 Improve import and export services direct to Port Botany, Port of Melbourne and other ports depending on economic advantage

 An operation that is integrated with the national transport and logistics network

 Address significant existing road and rail safety issues

 Encourage a freight shift from road to rail

-Ends-

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Contact Josh Lang 6926 9190/0437 385 892 or media@wagga.nsw.gov.au or follow us on Twitter - @WaggaCouncil