Mr Lane said the report had underestimated the real investment that would be required to bring ill-equipped roads, such as the Bruce Rock-Doodlakine Road, up to an acceptable standard.

The forum attendees also raised concerns about the lack of funding allocated to the York-Quairading Road in the SGNC Report.

Mr Lane said the report’s failure to take the road into account was deeply concerning, especially as this road would become a main truck route in the event of any rail closures in the South Kwinana Zone.

After driving on the York-Quairading Road to get to the meeting, Mr Affleck acknowledged that he would not feel safe driving a road train on it and that its omission from the report would require attention.

Local farmers and WAFF members said they were pleased with the outcome of the meeting.

“I think Minister O’Brien is well aware that he’s got a serious problem now,” Mr Lane said.

“The report is clearly flawed and the WAFF Merredin Zone is calling on the State Government and Industry to re-examine the figures used in the report.”

Spokesperson for Minister O’Brien Rhys Turner defended the report.

“If WAFF is not happy with the report, well they sat on the committee that wrote it – so they need to look at their internal process and how good their views are represented by their leadership.

“What the report says is that some lines are just not going to be used – it doesn’t matter how much money is put into them, people are just not going to use them.

“We’re providing a Transition Assistance Package to keep rail prices down and competitive with road freight prices.

“They’ve got to put their money where their mouth is.

“The onus is now on farmers to take advantage of the rail network.”

He said he disagreed with Ms MacTiernan’s vocal stance against the rail closures.

“Everything that has come out of the Shadow Minister’s mouth has been misinformation,” he said.

“She has come very late to the party on this – she was in parliament for eight years and what did she do for the freight network?”