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Labor pledges $4.7 billion inland freight rail

12 Aug 2010

Source: The Australian

Labor has pledged federal funds towards a massive $4.7 billion inland freight rail line from Melbourne to Brisbane. The plan is aimed at boosting the economies of regional Australia, particularly in Parkes, in central NSW.

Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese said yesterday the 1700km inland rail link would take pressure off the biggest capital cities by removing trucks from the highways, while also supporting the agriculture and mining industries. Mr Albanese said the government would earmark funding in the next round of the Nation Building Program for planning work and to acquire land to preserve the corridor for the route. He estimated that about $300 million would be allocated.

That funding would start in 2014-15, a study into the project by the Australian Rail Track Corporation found the project would most likely become economically viable between 2030 and 2035.

The new line would require 600km of new track and upgrades to 430km of existing track and would move freight between Melbourne and Brisbane in 22 hours, which could make it competitive with road. Business has for several years been pushing for the inland rail project, which is sometimes dubbed the "steel Mississippi", on the grounds that it could help ease the time and costs in moving freight.

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