#libspill

[achiruel]

But like the article said, he needs to turn his enthusiasm for riding the rails into spending money on them... 

[ozbob]

SBS News --> Turnbull: I want to be an infrastructure Prime Minister

[STB]

But like the article said, he needs to turn his enthusiasm for riding the rails into spending money on them... 

And he did, ala Gold Coast Light Rail.

Now all we need is Cross River Rail, Sunshine Coast Rail duplication, possibly a better freight line to get as much freight out of the way of the urban system in Brisbane, Melbourne's underground CBD rail...etc...etc.  Basically, Australia has a lot of catching up to do!  Here's hoping that this is just the start!

[SurfRail]

Don't get too hopeful.  Today's commitment is only $95m, which is around 1/6th of the project cost.  It's basically what you would call "seed capital".

That prospective light rail network I posted elsewhere with 3 limbs at either end I would estimate is around $4-5bn in today's dollars, excluding the extension of the heavy rail to the airport. 

The major advantage of GCLR over any other project floating around is that it is the easiest thing to just tack modest extensions onto over time.  CRR, NCL, MM etc are megaprojects costing multiple billions, and metropolitan rail projects elsewhere have wide-ranging consequences for the existing network that need to be sorted out.  Probably the only other one which is easy enough to commit to without doling out a huge chunk of money would be finishing the Gawler line electrification.

This is a good step but it isn't evidence that they are going to be very free with the purse-strings - after all, proportionately this is only around half of the federal contribution for Stage 1.

[achiruel]

Not entirely true - NCL duplication, to Landsborough at least, will probably be fairly similar in cost to GCLR stage 2.  Probably the bigger issue there is the State can (justifiably) ask the Feds for more of the money for that project, as it is part of the national transport network.

[Arnz]

Unfortunately the downside here is that the SCRC are spending the PT Levy on $$$ on endless LR studies when it could easily be better used pooling up their funds to make their contribution towards the Beerburrum-Landsborough duplication.  If not that, probably could've been used on improving the local bus network under the joint State Government/Council funding agreement in the past for past routes such as the 632 (now entirely state funded), Hinterland Connect (being transitioned to state funding), and the various 600/620 frequencies upgrades pre-2010 (long since transferred to state funding)

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Opinion: Malcolm Turnbull on right track in stealing Labor's public transport thunder

[ozbob]

Twitter

Malcolm Turnbull ‏@TurnbullMalcolm 5m

With the my friend the station manager at Edgecliff before heading off to Penrith

[ozbob]

Twitter

Christopher Pyne ‏@cpyne 20m

Chatting innovation with @TurnbullMalcolm on the way to Western Sydney. #auspol



==============

[#Metro]

What an awkward photo. Probably the first time Pyne stepped into a train.

Caption should read 'Coalition ministers forced to use public transport for the first time."

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Clover Moore optimistic Malcolm Turnbull will support public transport in Sydney

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Labor smashed in latest Fairfax-Ipsos poll as Coalition surges under Malcolm Turnbull

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Question time: Yes, one thing has changed since I became Prime Minister, says Malcolm Turnbull

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> I am a reformer: Malcolm Turnbull sets course for growth and unity

[ozbob]

Twitter

ABC News @abcnews

.@TurnbullMalcolm celebrates 61st birthday with pledge to focus on public transport, tax, union corruption http://ab.co/1NYOVKT  #auspol

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Turnbull hands Victoria $1.5 billion of East West Link cash

[ozbob]

Twitter

Malcolm Turnbull ‏@TurnbullMalcolm 16h

As usual tweeting on trams this time with Matt Williams MP for Hindmarsh going from Glenelg into Adelaide.

[achiruel]

Melbourne Age --> Turnbull hands Victoria $1.5 billion of East West Link cash

It's a pity no public transport projects were suggested as items that might use the money.

[ozbob]

Brough has stood down from his Ministerial Portfolio.

Briggs has resigned from his Ministerial Portfolio.



http://www.malcolmturnbull.com.au/media/ministerial-arrangements

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

It is a two-way street #auspol  Treat punters with contempt, cannot blame them for doing the same hey?

What a charade of spin and incompetence, our Governments are ...