Because train travel is so popular in Australia and all....
Feds look to do Mel to Bris rail way.
Will the govt have the balls to build such a massive project? From todays Australian.
Costello to revive inland rail link
Steve Lewis, Chief political correspondent
May 07, 2007
AN ambitious plan to revive regional Australia by building a Melbourne-to-Brisbane inland rail link has been given the green light, with tomorrow's federal budget to provide a $120 million down payment on the "
With the Treasury swimming in tax revenues - and John Howard desperate to counter claims he has lost touch with ordinary voters - families will receive tax relief while childcare funding will be boosted.
In his 12th and most important budget, the Treasurer will also unveil a massive increase in defence spending, amid concerns that some frontline military services are facing a recruitment crisis.
As the Government tries to reel in a resurgent Labor Party, Mr Costello continued the pre-budget hard-sell yesterday, claiming it will "lock in the gains" made in cutting unemployment in the last few years.
But the budget is also designed to shore-up Coalition support in the bush to fend off an expected strong election challenge by independent candidates.
The $120 million for the inland rail link will be used to prepare a final engineering and economic study of the project, which its backers argue will revitalise the regional economy and provide a much more efficient freight route for exports.
The funding will also be used for land acquisition along the proposed rail corridor, which would run from Melbourne via the Riverina, up through inland NSW to the freight hub of Parkes and then up to Toowoomba, before turning east to Brisbane.
The budget injection - which dwarfs the only other commonwealth contribution, of just $20million - follows strong lobbying of fellow cabinet ministers by Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Mark Vaile.
In what would be one of the country's biggest engineering feats, the rail scheme would cost billions of dollars and need the support of private financiers such as Macquarie Bank.
The brainchild of Brisbane-based Everald Compton, the project had been shopped around Canberra for the past decade. Until now though it had failed to receive serious financial support.
With impeccable political connections, the 76-year-old Mr Compton is the chairman of the influential National Seniors Association. He formed Australian Transport and Energy Corridor Ltd to pursue the plan of building an inland railway, which he originally envisaged would link Melbourne to Darwin.
During the past several years, he forged a close relationship with Mr Howard and Mr Vaile - both of whom have backed the rail project.
It would form part of a much larger infrastructure program for road and rail, through the AusLink II program.
As revealed by The Australian, Mr Costello will tomorrow confirm that the five-year infrastructure program will cost just over $19billion, and kick in from 2009 when the current scheme comes to an end.
Although Labor has backed the use of public funds to boost national infrastructure, the Coalition is likely to face criticism that its support for the inland rail project is merely a sop to the Nationals before a tough election campaign.
M
Costello to revive inland rail link
Steve Lewis, Chief political correspondent
May 07, 2007
AN ambitious plan to revive regional Australia by building a Melbourne-to-Brisbane inland rail link has been given the green light, with tomorrow's federal budget to provide a $120 million down payment on the "
With the Treasury swimming in tax revenues - and John Howard desperate to counter claims he has lost touch with ordinary voters - families will receive tax relief while childcare funding will be boosted.
In his 12th and most important budget, the Treasurer will also unveil a massive increase in defence spending, amid concerns that some frontline military services are facing a recruitment crisis.
As the Government tries to reel in a resurgent Labor Party, Mr Costello continued the pre-budget hard-sell yesterday, claiming it will "lock in the gains" made in cutting unemployment in the last few years.
But the budget is also designed to shore-up Coalition support in the bush to fend off an expected strong election challenge by independent candidates.
The $120 million for the inland rail link will be used to prepare a final engineering and economic study of the project, which its backers argue will revitalise the regional economy and provide a much more efficient freight route for exports.
The funding will also be used for land acquisition along the proposed rail corridor, which would run from Melbourne via the Riverina, up through inland NSW to the freight hub of Parkes and then up to Toowoomba, before turning east to Brisbane.
The budget injection - which dwarfs the only other commonwealth contribution, of just $20million - follows strong lobbying of fellow cabinet ministers by Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Mark Vaile.
In what would be one of the country's biggest engineering feats, the rail scheme would cost billions of dollars and need the support of private financiers such as Macquarie Bank.
The brainchild of Brisbane-based Everald Compton, the project had been shopped around Canberra for the past decade. Until now though it had failed to receive serious financial support.
With impeccable political connections, the 76-year-old Mr Compton is the chairman of the influential National Seniors Association. He formed Australian Transport and Energy Corridor Ltd to pursue the plan of building an inland railway, which he originally envisaged would link Melbourne to Darwin.
During the past several years, he forged a close relationship with Mr Howard and Mr Vaile - both of whom have backed the rail project.
It would form part of a much larger infrastructure program for road and rail, through the AusLink II program.
As revealed by The Australian, Mr Costello will tomorrow confirm that the five-year infrastructure program will cost just over $19billion, and kick in from 2009 when the current scheme comes to an end.
Although Labor has backed the use of public funds to boost national infrastructure, the Coalition is likely to face criticism that its support for the inland rail project is merely a sop to the Nationals before a tough election campaign.
M
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^^ You are right. It is just as cheap to ship goods direct to destination ports otherwise the darwin-adelaide rail would need upgrading to handle extra capacity.
This project is for the inland towns to have quicker, cheaper access to export markets via Brisbane & Melbourne & also helps to shift goods from the cities to the same inland towns. Transfer of goods from port to port would be limited I would imagine.
This project is for the inland towns to have quicker, cheaper access to export markets via Brisbane & Melbourne & also helps to shift goods from the cities to the same inland towns. Transfer of goods from port to port would be limited I would imagine.
I think the comparison with Darwin is a bit of an oversimplication. Darwin doesn't have the population, the industry base, or the facilities to steal much business away from the other ports around Australia. And even if it did, they cannot create scale and market share overnight.
Inland towns and cities could have quicker access to closer ports in NSW. Like Wollongong and Newcastle for a fraction of the cost.^^ You are right. It is just as cheap to ship goods direct to destination ports otherwise the darwin-adelaide rail would need upgrading to handle extra capacity.
This project is for the inland towns to have quicker, cheaper access to export markets via Brisbane & Melbourne & also helps to shift goods from the cities to the same inland towns. Transfer of goods from port to port would be limited I would imagine.
This project makes little sense for most NSW towns.
OMG!!!
Can I just say thank God they're finally funding this!!!
In reply to everyone else, it's primarily a freight line, not a passenger line. This single railway line will not cost $19billion, the AusLinkII package will cost $19billion, of which this is one project. This is a worthwhile project because it gets trucks off the roads because the inland towns in the Victoria, the Riverina(such as Parkes, Dubbo, Morree) and the Darling Downs will now be able to send their products via train to the markets of Brisbane and Melbourne and onto the docks for export. Also, products from Brisbane destined for Melbourne can also go along this route and visa-versa.
And lets not forget that this links up to the rail link to Gladstone, another major port with direct access to the coal fields.
Can I just say thank God they're finally funding this!!!
In reply to everyone else, it's primarily a freight line, not a passenger line. This single railway line will not cost $19billion, the AusLinkII package will cost $19billion, of which this is one project. This is a worthwhile project because it gets trucks off the roads because the inland towns in the Victoria, the Riverina(such as Parkes, Dubbo, Morree) and the Darling Downs will now be able to send their products via train to the markets of Brisbane and Melbourne and onto the docks for export. Also, products from Brisbane destined for Melbourne can also go along this route and visa-versa.
And lets not forget that this links up to the rail link to Gladstone, another major port with direct access to the coal fields.
It will though, it runs straight through the heart of mining country in Northern SA, and its not too far fetched, especially with the new Port of Darwin development, to imagine that major mining projects will be linked up to the line and use it as frieght and Darwin as the Port (due to its proximity to Asia)Perhaps, but the rail line was built partly to serve the purpose of mass freight movement. Hasnt quite made it of course.
It was also constructed for defense purposes.
All the time, its the most efficient way of transporting tanks and heavy vehicles like that.^^ yes, the good old defence force. I didnt know the military was in the habit of using trains. And the mining projects are apparantly more than welcome to link up to the railway. It cost a bomb, so they may as well use it.
theres actually a lot of talk about relocating several bases and regiments at the moment.. It may take a few years, but expect to see a substantial shift of soldiers from older and smaller bases throughout australia consolidated into a newer and better base in Adelaide.
Primarily 3 RAR, there the parachute guys, they are going mechanised(APC's) and moving to Adelaide from Sydney. Theres also rumours of a few other smaller training establishments and signals regiments relocating to Adelaide.
I think the overall scheme of things is, that whilst Darwin is close to asia they dont want to have all the eggs in the one basked by having all the ADF based up there, Adelaide is the next logical step.
Trains are the best method for moving entire military units, period. Once the train is loaded nothing goes astray, and the chances of accidental damages are minimised. Troops arrive fully rested, machinery in top condition and fully fueled. Imagine driving a convoy of military trucks from Adelaide to Darwin. Three or more shifts of drivers per vehicle, tons of fuel used, and every man sore from the ride. Then there's the problems of food, exercise, and accommodation, all of which a train can easily cater for.^^ yes, the good old defence force. I didnt know the military was in the habit of using trains. And the mining projects are apparantly more than welcome to link up to the railway. It cost a bomb, so they may as well use it.
1 - 20 of 42 Posts
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