#ausvotes19 ALP Policies

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Bill Shorten unveils national rail plan to ensure work on train projects is kept in Australia

RAIL projects receiving federal cash will be slapped with tough new requirements to ensure as much work as possible is completed in Australia under a Labor plan.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will on Friday promise to create a national rail plan to ensure "every dollar of federal funding" for rail projects helps create jobs and protects the local industry.

He said 3000 jobs had been lost over the last decade, and vowed to lobby states and territories to ensure work on new trains and rail projects was not sent overseas.

"At the same time as the industry is seeing jobs decline, we've seen huge projects go to companies overseas — with local manufacturing workers missing out," the Labor leader said.

"Action must be taken to preserve the strategic capabilities of Australian rail manufacturing."

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was heavily criticised by the Australian Workers' Union — which counts Mr Shorten as its former national secretary — in 2016 for handing a $2 billion train contract to a consortium featuring a Chinese state-owned contractor.

AWU Victorian secretary Ben Davis described the decision as "heartbreaking" and said it would cost hundreds of local jobs.

Mr Shorten announced the plan in Newport on Thursday and promised to set up a rail industry innovation council and a national audit of the capacity and condition of all passenger trains across the country.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/AustRail/status/992235909855657984

[ozbob]

SBS News --> Labor promises national rail plan

Labor will give local rail manufacturers a better chance at securing more of the $100 billion in rail contracts if it wins the next election.

Bill Shorten will on Friday announce a National Rail Plan to co-ordinate all rail projects in Australia to make sure government dollars help local industries.

"Labor believes that investment in rail should create local jobs and boost our domestic manufacturing capability - rather than just flowing to overseas industry competitors," Mr Shorten says.

The plan will make sure rail infrastructure projects are linked to objectives, including work being undertaken in Australia and co-operation between states on procurement.

"With more than $100 billion to be spent by governments and private companies in rail-based public transport projects throughout Australia in the next two decades, a national plan is critical to ensure we harness the massive opportunities for this investment," Mr Shorten says.

Labor will also establish an Office of National Rail Industry Coordination to undertake a national audit of the adequacy, capacity and condition of passenger trains nationally.

It will develop train priority plans, including a proposed delivery schedule for the next 10 years.

Labor will also reinstate the Rail Supplier Advocate, which was cut in 2013, to help small and medium-sized businesses get their foot in the door for government contracts.

"At the same time as the industry is seeing jobs decline, we've seen huge projects go to companies overseas - with local manufacturing workers missing out," Mr Shorten says.

"Labor's plan will maximise the amount of work that goes to Australian firms."

[#Metro]

Don't support this. If you have to get the government to do you a special deal to sell your product, something is not right with your business.

This sounds a lot like the "National Car Plan" on steel wheels.

There is some suggestion that this is becoming state parochial, Melbourne only wants to buy "Melbourne" trains, Queensland, the "Queensland" one and WA the "WA" one.

As a result you have three factories each wth 1/3 the business each, hardly a good use of assets.

Also a hidden subsidy, so other countries may slap on a retaliatory import tax if the product is sold overseas.

[Stillwater]

Some local councils have a procurement policy biased towards local businesses.  For example, when they call tenders for stationery, new vehicles etc, they allow for a five per cent weighting in favour of a local company within the shire.  If an out-of-town business bids slightly higher than the local business -- and the difference is in the five per cent band -- the local company gets the tender.  The councils see this as a means for sustaining jobs and the local economy.

[ozbob]

I hope the next order of trains for SEQ rail are built locally.   We will need another 50 6 car units prior to the completion of Cross River Rail.

Either upgraded 160s or other locally built consortium.  Victoria does it well with locally built trains (in large part). 

[techblitz]

^ yep...bring back 'made in australia'. A country that cant build/produce its own stuff is a 'weak' country imho.
Costs savings from taking it overseas are irrelevant when the other side of the equation has the potential to erode those savings..


Save 6 dollars per hour per person by sending it overseas but pay 6 dollars per hour per person on extra cops,ambos,counsellors that go with not giving locals a chance to learn how to make something,get ahead in life and just be more happier in general...

[ozbob]

1961 ' Operation Boomerang ' logo ..

[#Metro]

^ yep...bring back 'made in australia'. A country that cant build/produce its own stuff is a 'weak' country imho.
Costs savings from taking it overseas are irrelevant when the other side of the equation has the potential to erode those savings..

Just like I generally don't support the Queensland Government handing over free money to Dora the Explorer, I can't see why we need to pay more than necessary to procure goods.

If it so happens that the local bids are competitive - and there is a good reason to think they might be, for example, reduction in international vehicle transport costs - then I am not opposed.

But making rules to UNeven the playing field... not convinced that is a virtuous thing.

Take a look at this graph, it is all going one way:

Australia - Manufacturing, value added (% of GDP)

Manufacturing, value added (% of GDP) in Australia was reported at 6.5707 % in 2016, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources.

https://tradingeconomics.com/australia/manufacturing-value-added-percent-of-gdp-wb-data.html

It's about a 3x reduction as a share of GDP since 1990.

And when you consider automation as well... will the jobs argument hold up for that in the future?

If a machine or robot does more work... doesn't that also mean that people are doing less? And hence less demand for staff?

Australia's strength is more in the research/development side of things, but that I see as being under the heading "Research and Development" not specifically "Manufacturing". I think when the ordinary person thinks of manufacturing, they mean vehicles rolling off the factory floor.

[#Metro]

Meanwhile...

7 News · 13:53 Movie tax breaks: Julie Bishop MP has announced $140 million over four years as part of a "location incentive program" to lure Hollywood filmmakers to Australia. #7News

Is there really much of a difference? At least you could argue here that we have the advantage of scenery that other countries don't have...

[techblitz]

Big difference.....sometimes you have to invest money to stimulate growth in an industry.....provided it succeds the flow-on benefits will be worth the money invested.....in those two cases above its the local movie/fim industry....also sends a message that we can actually be creative and do stuff ourself.
By taking the easy way out and importing the labor etc you are doing nothing but stimulating another countries economy.
Its called giving it a go. Take Russia and its train manufacturing....it can get all the cheap trains it wants from its 'close' friend china to save money....
Why take the easy way out when you have the chance to give local residents a sense of purpose in life.....let them show their creativity.....and hopefully the benefits for putin et al will the odd worker who rises above every other worker and becomes an innovator. Your not going to get innovators in dole queues.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/billshortenmp/status/992291486870876160

[#Metro]

Well the Australian car industry died, after decades of massive subsidisation... money paid straight to for-profit corporations to help their bottom line... now that it's not around anymore, guess the focus has shifted to corporations that manufacture railway vehicles...

A train will run on tracks and transport passengers whether or not it is built here, New Zealand, Europe, America or Asia.

Big difference.....sometimes you have to invest money to stimulate growth in an industry.....provided it succeds the flow-on benefits will be worth the money invested.....in those two cases above its the local movie/fim industry....also sends a message that we can actually be creative and do stuff ourself.
By taking the easy way out and importing the labor etc you are doing nothing but stimulating another countries economy.
Its called giving it a go. Take Russia and its train manufacturing....it can get all the cheap trains it wants from its 'close' friend china to save money....
Why take the easy way out when you have the chance to give local residents a sense of purpose in life.....let them show their creativity.....and hopefully the benefits for putin et al will the odd worker who rises above every other worker and becomes an innovator. Your not going to get innovators in dole queues.

In wartime it is common to use ships to block a country's supply lines so that goods cannot get into the target country and weakening it. The UN also often enforces a trade embargo that does the same thing for countries that don't comply with international obligations as a pressuring tactic. This forces the target country to make and do everything for itself.

Do you consider these a form of economic stimulus for the country being blocked? I don't.

[techblitz]

Give a man a fish....feed him for 1 day.
Teach the man how to fish....he is good for more than 1 day.
Understand that at all??

The dearth of the car industry was a harsh lesson for Australia and I'm pretty confident that it wont be repeated with future industries.
The wheels are already in motion....the best way to counter the two things that brought the car industry down (robotics and cheap 3rd world labor) is to try and mimic the same principles here.

The government is already on that path....they are conveniently misleading the public on their plans but the clued on ones know what's really going on:

1. Ramping up immigration to world leading levels(per capita). This will dilute the manufacturing/services wage pool and push wages down.
2. Due to increased participation rate....increased chance of fostering innovation in areas like robotics.

Mission accomplished......we no longer have to take the easy way out and tender for the cheapest overseas option. We build our own stuff.....which in wartime...would benefit the nation to no end.

The issue the government will have with this so called 'plan' is that if wages are to be pushed down to make us competitive....the cost of living MUST be counter-acted.
This is why you see the government regularly hitting the panic button on things like power price rises,health insurance increases,predatory fuel sales etc....while refusing 100% to budge on population growth....which is the only way we are going to get there and start making stuff at competitive prices.

Its sad that we have to go down this path for many in the middle class who have enjoyed a high wage and lifestyle.....but reality is now biting hard for Australia.
Time to wear a green and gold MAGA hat and bring back self sufficiency.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/1013499873465733121

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Shorten pledges $500 million to upgrade regional Queensland roads

Labor leader Bill Shorten has pledged federal funding to upgrade regional Queensland roads, widen the M1 and kick-start the Cross River Rail project, if he becomes Australia's 31st Prime Minister.

The federal opposition leader made the promises during his speech at the 55th Australian Labor Party Queensland Conference on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Gold Coast-based Nita Green, a former political staffer for ALP Senator Murray Watt, won the preselection race to replace retiring Queensland Senator Claire Moore as expected, with accusations of rigging and calls to stop the ballot having been made on the eve of the vote.

Mr Shorten told the ALP faithful he was sick of talking and would "just get on with the job" if he was elected as the country's leader in the next federal election.

He said the three most important things to him came from Queensland: the Australian Workers' Union, Australian Labor Party and his wife, Chloe.

He said he would have to win Queensland from the suburbs to the regions and earn the respect and trust of Queenslanders if he was to take out the country's top job.

"I will continue to visit every part of your state because I want to present Queenslanders with a plan for every part of your state," he said.

"We know there is so much more to Queensland than the south-east corner.

"What we're going to do is extend the Bruce Highway to Cairns Airport, deliver stage two of the Mackay Ring Road, invest in better water security for Townsville, build that flood levy for Rocky (and) put in Commonwealth dollars to build the Rookwood Weir.

"We're going to widen the Port of Townsville, build that port access road at Gladstone and relocate the Bruce Highway to the west of Rocky with a new ring road to take thousands of trucks off local streets and turn the regional airport into a freight hub."

Mr Shorten pledged $500 million to upgrade more than 3000 kilometres of the state's regional roads and up to 300 regional bridges.

"Queensland is like no other state, and the people on the coast have family connections west of the Great Diving Range," he said.

"You are the most decentralised state in Australia — half of your state's economic activity takes place outside of Brisbane — and so Labor is determined to ensure that every part of Queensland gets top-quality infrastructure."

The major roads in line for a makeover under Labor were the Barkly Highway between Mt Isa and Cloncurry, Capricorn Highway between Emerald and Rockhampton, Mitchell Highway from Cunnamulla to Charleville, Kennedy Highway between Cairns and Mareeba as well as those around Longreach and Winton.

"When these roads are not up to scratch, driver safety is put at risk," Mr Shorten said.

"Truckies are forced to go the long and expensive way around, the cost of moving goods on these roads increases, flood damage is a bigger problem than it ought to be and of course, the same few reliable roads are more crowded."

Among Mr Shorten's other promises were restoring Sunday and public holiday penalty rates, pushing for equal pay for women and providing greater job security for older members of the workforce and those in insecure jobs.

He also pledged to put money back into Queensland hospitals, protect Medicare, tackle surgery waiting lists, build more park 'n' ride stations in the state and invest in more renewable energy.

He also renewed calls for an Australian Republic.

Mr Shorten also couldn't resist making a few jokes at the expense of the Coalition, after a chaotic few weeks for the Liberal party.

"Some things have changed a great deal since our last conference together," he said.

"Annastacia Palaszczuk has won a second term as premier, Malcolm Turnbull has left the building — in fact, he's left the country — Julie Bishop is on the backbench and Peter Dutton is in all sorts of trouble ... seriously, what is the go with the au pairs?

"Who would have thought such an arch-conservative, inspiration to the Institute of Public Affairs, was secretly working towards a nanny state?"

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/1037004972188086272

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Labor say landmark deal for southeast Queensland infrastructure high on agenda

A LANDMARK deal to plan and fund vital transport and other infrastructure for southeast Queensland's population surge over the next couple of decades will be a top priority if Labor wins next year's federal election.

"I see great potential for collaboration on a southeast Queensland City Partnership under a Shorten Labor government," Opposition infrastructure spokesman Anthony Albanese said.

"A southeast Queensland City Partnership will be high on its agenda."

It is the closest either major party has come to locking themselves into a formal agreement with the State Government and councils in the region for a united approach to delivering new public transport, roads, digital infrastructure, industry hubs and other essential facilities.



The need for a 15 to 20-year agreement between all levels of government was the top item of a 20-point action plan developed from The Courier-Mail'srecent Future SEQ series examining challenges and exploring the opportunities for the region in the next quarter-century as the population balloons an extra two million to 5.5 million.

The Palaszczuk Government and SEQ Council of Mayors are committed to it and lobbying both the Coalition Government and ALP Opposition to sign up.



Measures to counter the pressures of population growth, congestion, increasing residential density and urban sprawl will be a focus of the election campaign in the first half of next year as the parties battle for urban seats.

The Coalition has so far announced eight City Deal agreements — its version of City Partnerships — nationwide, but it has so far failed to commit to one for southeast Queensland, which would be the largest in the country.



Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: "My commitment is to invest in and build more roads and rail lines in Queensland in even better ways, whether using our city deal model or not.

"All that matters is getting the job done."

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said: "We welcome the commitment that a future Labor government would work with us to deliver a deal for the southeast, something the Morrison Government has so far ignored.

"A City Deal or partnership for SEQ will support the delivery of the jobs, new industries and critical infrastructure that our growing region needs."

[achiruel]

No more M1 widening! Build a new rail corridor instead.

The current M1 widening projects underway should be the last. No more.

Possibly the IRTC could be needed, but if built the kerb lanes should be T2/3.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Shorten slams PM over Cross River Rail funding snub

LABOR has smashed Scott Morrison for failing to invest in Queensland's Cross River Rail, saying the Prime Minister was denying 7700 local jobs — seven times what was being offered by Adani.

As the unofficial election campaign heats up, Bill Shorten has come out swinging, upping the ante for Queensland by saying Labor would also hire hundreds of apprentices to work on the multibillion-dollar rail investment.

Mr Shorten, who will be in the state today, said only Labor would deliver Brisbane's biggest infrastructure project and secure extra local jobs.

Federal Labor will pour $2.24 billion into the project, freeing up State Labor to invest in other parts of the state.

Mr Shorten will today pledge 770 Queensland apprentices will work on Cross River Rail.

Labor's recently announced national procurement strategy, which gives local firms a fair go at competing for work, will apply to the project.

And not to be outdone for the battle for Queensland, Mr Shorten will also match funding for infrastructure projects Scott Morrison has announced this week, including upgrading the intersection of Commercial Road and Doggett Street in Newstead, the Gympie Arterial Road, Ipswich Motorway and Mt Lindesay Highway corridors.

Labor's finance spokesman and Member for Rankin Jim Chalmers said the PM was coming too late to the party.

"Morrison is joking if he thinks he can front up to Queensland and ignore the fact he hasn't put a dollar into our most important infrastructure project,'' Dr Chalmers said.

"Scott Morrison is cheating Queensland out of 7700 jobs while he stands in the way of this project.

"If Morrison thinks that after years of ignoring the problem he can ease congestion without investing in Cross River Rail, he's even more arrogant and out of touch than Queenslanders feared.

"Failure to build the Cross River Rail will put a handbrake on the region's ability to grow, and will put more pressure on already congested roads."

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1090637465159794688

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/1090776774512791554

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/RailExpressNews/status/1120548325386784768

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/EVERALDATLARGE/status/1120561678775652352

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/MarkBaileyMP/status/1120892140999991298

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/c_otoole/status/1121734308710871040

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Bill Shorten promises to get Queenslanders home on time

... LABOR'S QUEENSLAND INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS:

■ Ipswich Motorway Upgrade — Rocklea to Darra: $500 million.

■ Bruce Highway Upgrade — Dohles Rocks Road interchange to Deception Bay Road: $452.5 million.

■ M1 Pacific Motorway Upgrade — Interchange 45: $48.1 million.

■ Cape York Roads Package — Peninsula Development Road Upgrade: $125 million.

■ Bruce Highway Upgrade — Burdekin River Bridge Rehabilitation Program: $21 million.

■ John Peterson Bridge Replacement: $24 million.

■ Loganlea Rail Station Relocation: $35 million.

■ Extension of rail line from Springfield to Ipswich (Business Case): $750,000.

■ Expanded Park and Ride facilities at Ormeau, Beenleigh and Coomera railway stations.

EXISTING LABOR PLANS:

Far North Queensland

■ Bruce Highway Upgrade — Extension to Smithfield (Cairns): $287 million.

■ Bruce Highway Upgrade — Cairns Southern Approach (Stage 5): $180 million.

North Queensland

■ Mount Isa to Townsville Rail Corridor Upgrade: $100 million.

■ Bruce Highway Upgrade — Townsville Ring Road (Stage 5): $144 million.

Central Queensland

■ Bruce Highway Upgrade — Rockhampton Ring Road: $852 million.

■ Bruce Highway Upgrade — Mackay Ring Road (Stage 2): $280 million.

■ Gladstone Port Access Road Extension: $100 million.

■ Yeppoon Road Duplication: $64 million.

■ Capricorn Highway — Rockhampton to Emerald (Extra Overtaking Lanes): $15 million.

■ Stanage Bay Road Upgrade: $21.6 million.

■ Bruce Highway Upgrade — Gladstone to Rockhampton (Four-lane planning): $2.1 million.

Wide Bay Burnett

■ Bruce Highway Upgrade — Cooroy to Curra (Section D): $800 million.

Darling Downs and Western Queensland

■ Inland Roads Package: $500 million.

■ Cunningham Highway — Eight Mile Intersection Upgrade: $17.6 million.

■ Continue the Warrego Highway Upgrade Program.

Southeast Queensland

■ Cross River Rail: $2.24 billion.

■ Extend Gateway Motorway from Bracken Ridge to the Pine River and upgrade Bruce Highway between Gateway Motorway and Dohles Rocks Road: $1.5 billion.

■ Bruce Highway Upgrade — Linkfield Road Overpass: $100 million.

■ M1 Pacific Motorway Upgrade — Eight Mile Plains to Daisy Hill: $374.5 million.

■ M1 Pacific Motorway Upgrade — Daisy Hill to Logan Motorway: $500 million.

■ M1 Pacific Motorway Upgrade — Varsity Lakes to Tugun: $515 million.

■ M1 Pacific Motorway Upgrade: Interchanges 41 and 49: $50 million.

■ Mt Lindesay Highway Upgrade: $30 million.

■ Cunningham Highway — Yamanto to Ebenezer Upgrade: $170 million.

LEVEL CROSS REMOVAL PROGRAM:

■ Lindum Road (Wynnum West): $85 million.

■ Cavendish Road (Coorparoo): $107 million.

■ Boundary Street (Coopers Plains): $73.4 million.

■ Rochedale Road-Priestdale Road Intersection Upgrade: $14 million.

■ Warrego Highway Upgrade — Mt Crosby Interchange: $11 million.

■ Duplication of North Coast Line — Beerburrum to Nambour: $390 million.

■ Gold Coast Light Rail (Stage 3A): $112 million.

■ Expanded Park and Ride facilities at Mango Hill, Ferny Grove, Narangba, Northgate, Geebung and Nundah.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/MarkBaileyMP/status/1124133554818928640

[Stillwater]

Is this a new commitment from Labor?

Duplication of North Coast Line — Beerburrum to Nambour: $390 million.

[verbatim9]

When all these pledges for funds are announced no dates are given for start of construction. Some of these projects probably won't start until the next Federal Political term.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/RACQOfficial/status/1124148974007382016

[Gazza]

I hadn't heard of the Loganlea Station relocation before.
The idea is in the local council area plan, and involves moving it about 200m, to the other side of Loganlea rd.
Would be good, it's closer to the hospital, And could allow the current Station to operate unimpeded until the new one is ready.

The LX removal program some sounds, a pretty good start in terms of priorities.

[verbatim9]

I hadn't heard of the Loganlea Station relocation before.
The idea is in the local council area plan, and involves moving it about 200m, to the other side of Loganlea rd.
Would be good, it's closer to the hospital, And could allow the current Station to operate unimpeded until the new one is ready.

The LX removal program some sounds, a pretty good start in terms of priorities.

Thanks confirming my hunches in reference to the Longanlea relocation project. I was curious to know exactly what will happen.  This station is crying out for a rebuild. The relocation closer to the hospital makes sense.
I hope RBOT can agree on future proofing the station other than the mandatory disability requirements and station platform heights. The station should be built as two island platforms and four tracks. This can allow for express trains to pass acting as a passing loop. As well as a turn around for all stop trains. A station design like this will fit in with the building Qld objectives regarding the Gold coast line.

[timh]

I hadn't heard of the Loganlea Station relocation before.
The idea is in the local council area plan, and involves moving it about 200m, to the other side of Loganlea rd.
Would be good, it's closer to the hospital, And could allow the current Station to operate unimpeded until the new one is ready.

The LX removal program some sounds, a pretty good start in terms of priorities.

Thanks confirming my hunches in reference to the Longanlea relocation project. I was curious to know exactly what will happen.  This station is crying out for a rebuild. The relocation closer to the hospital makes sense.
I hope RBOT can agree on future proofing the station other than the mandatory disability requirements and station platform heights. The station should be built as two island platforms and four tracks. This can allow for express trains to pass acting as a passing loop. As well as a turn around for all stop trains. A station design like this will fit in with the building Qld objectives regarding the Gold coast line.

What need would there be for express trains passing this station? Loganlea is part of the gold coast line stopping pattern. I'm all for gold plating the upgrade don't get me wrong, but passing loops aren't needed here right?

[verbatim9]

I hadn't heard of the Loganlea Station relocation before.
The idea is in the local council area plan, and involves moving it about 200m, to the other side of Loganlea rd.
Would be good, it's closer to the hospital, And could allow the current Station to operate unimpeded until the new one is ready.

The LX removal program some sounds, a pretty good start in terms of priorities.

Thanks confirming my hunches in reference to the Longanlea relocation project. I was curious to know exactly what will happen.  This station is crying out for a rebuild. The relocation closer to the hospital makes sense.
I hope RBOT can agree on future proofing the station other than the mandatory disability requirements and station platform heights. The station should be built as two island platforms and four tracks. This can allow for express trains to pass acting as a passing loop. As well as a turn around for all stop trains. A station design like this will fit in with the building Qld objectives regarding the Gold coast line.

I hadn't heard of the Loganlea Station relocation before.
The idea is in the local council area plan, and involves moving it about 200m, to the other side of Loganlea rd.
Would be good, it's closer to the hospital, And could allow the current Station to operate unimpeded until the new one is ready.

The LX removal program some sounds, a pretty good start in terms of priorities.

Thanks confirming my hunches in reference to the Longanlea relocation project. I was curious to know exactly what will happen.  This station is crying out for a rebuild. The relocation closer to the hospital makes sense.
I hope RBOT can agree on future proofing the station other than the mandatory disability requirements and station platform heights. The station should be built as two island platforms and four tracks. This can allow for express trains to pass acting as a passing loop. As well as a turn around for all stop trains. A station design like this will fit in with the building Qld objectives regarding the Gold coast line.

What need would there be for express trains passing this station? Loganlea is part of the gold coast line stopping pattern. I'm all for gold plating the upgrade don't get me wrong, but passing loops aren't needed here right?

According to BQ they are wanting at least three tracks from Kurraby to Beenleigh. Might as well future proof the station accordingly. Plus you never know with stopping patterns and operations. These can change in the future.

[red dragin]

If you want to build an express station, two side platforms with four tracks in between. Centre two tracks are the express, outside two stop at the platform.

Saves on lifts and space required by eliminating two platforms. Would still fit in with an existing network setup of two or three tracks on either side.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> High speed rail plan for Brisbane to Sydney and Melbourne

CONSTRUCTION of a high-speed rail line linking Brisbane to Melbourne via Sydney and Canberra would commence under a $1 billion plan to be announced by Labor today.

It could see a bullet-train style vehicle travel from Brisbane to Sydney in just 2½ hours at 350km/h, taking pressure off crowded airline routes.

Regional stops would include the Gold Coast, Grafton, Port Macquarie, Newcastle and Wagga Wagga.

The $1 billion will go towards setting up a High Speed Rail Authority and buying land along the 1748km route.

The plan was first approved by the Labor Government in 2013 and, while it was promised again in 2016, there was just a $54 million commitment.

The $1 billion price tag is ­intended to show the party is taking the project seriously.

Original planning for the rail link showed that while a Sydney-Canberra link was expected to open by 2035, it was expected it would be 2058 ­before commuters could take the rail directly from Brisbane to Sydney or Melbourne.

At that time, it was also estimate to cost $114 billion.

But the proposed HSR authority would seek updated time frames and costings.

Labor infrastructure and transport spokesman Anthony Albanese said it would "revolutionise interstate travel" and boost regional communities.

"It would bring these communities closer to capital cities, allowing for increased commuting while also strengthening the case for regional business investment," he said.

"As Australia's strong population growth continues in coming years, the already established case for High Speed Rail will become more compelling. If we start to acquire the corridor now, we will protect it from development and thereby minimise costs."

Infrastructure Australia is already valuing the cost of securing the land required at $2.8 billion.

Last week, The Courier-Mail reported tourism and transport advocates were urging both sides of politics to consider high-speed rail to prevent flight routes between capital cities reaching capacity in coming years.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Labor to spend $1b on bullet train route from Melbourne to Brisbane via Sydney

Labor has promised to spend $1 billion buying land between Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane to build a future high-speed rail link.

The investment would stop land along a 1750-kilometre corridor identified for a proposed bullet rail line from being swallowed by suburban sprawl, potentially adding billions in acquisition costs to a project expected to cost up to $114 billion.

Australian governments have pursued visions of a high-speed east coast rail link since the 1980s.

But the federal opposition's $1 billion pledge would be the biggest financial investment ever made towards the concept.

Anthony Albanese, Labor's infrastructure spokesman, said the pledge "would end nearly six years of Coalition inaction and finally deliver progress on a project that will revolutionise interstate travel and regional development".

High-speed trains would travel at speeds of up to 350km/h and cut the journey time between Melbourne and Sydney, and Sydney and Brisbane, to as little as three hours, Labor said.

Acquiring land along the corridor will require the help of state and territory governments, and Mr Albanese said a Shorten government would set up a high-speed rail authority to manage this.

The authority would also work with the private sector, including overseas companies experienced in building and operating high speed rail, to make the vision a reality.

Labor's vision for high-speed rail adopts the findings of a $20 million feasibility study commissioned by the former Gillard government in an agreement it made with the Greens in 2010.

The 2013 study identified a 1748-kilometre route between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, with stops at more than a dozen regional cities along the way.

Mr Albanese said the project "will be an economic game-changer for communities along its path".

"It would bring these communities closer to capital cities, allowing for increased commuting while also strengthening the case for regional business investment," he said.

The study proposed building the rail in stages, starting with a link between Sydney and Canberra, then southwards to Melbourne, before heading north to Newcastle, the Gold Coast and Brisbane.

Mr Albanese said it was important to start to buy the land now to protect it from developers.

The move follows the advice of federal agency Infrastructure Australia, which warned in a 2017 report that a failure to acquire the necessary land could add $11 billion to the cost of building the line.

The report identified several areas on the fringes of Melbourne, Sydney and Newcastle that are in property developers' sights and should be bought within the next two years.

Land in Melbourne's outer north, in suburbs including Campbellfield and Coolaroo, should be acquired, as should several pockets of land between Sydney and Newcastle, including in Wyong and Cessnock, the report said.

Infrastructure Australia's modelling estimated it would cost $720 million to buy those at-risk sections of the corridor.

The Morrison government has also investigated building high-speed rail between capital cities and the regions.

It has spent $20 million on studies for three potential high-speed rail links: between Melbourne and Shepparton; Sydney and Newcastle; and Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

The business cases for those three proposals are due for completion by mid-year, the Coalition said.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1126508981315194880

[verbatim9]

The line won't be operational until at least 2035.   A series of amitious Governments might get it up and running by 2032 if the Olympics go ahead in Se Qld?

The fast electric rail to both the Sunshine and Gold Coast as well as Toowoomba seems more of realistic solution in the short term. Could have trains running by 2028 to all three centres?