Asciano cautions on $1bn freight hub

The viability of a planned $1 billion freight hub in southwestern Sydney has been called into doubt by Asciano boss John Mullen, The Australian Financial Review reports.

Mr Mullen, whose firm owns Patrick ports, said that he couldn’t see strong demand from customers for the hub in Moorebank, which will handle goods from Port Botany.

“We’re worried that the government may have stars in their eyes that they can get all this value for Moorebank and everyone’s going to be clamouring to use it,” he told the AFR. “It’s just not obvious.”

Mr Mullen said that Asciano was unlikely to use the freight hub now that Qube Logistics (QUB) is the likely developer and will instead use its own intermodal terminals to provide competition.