Cross River Rail Project

[ozbob]

Just heard my first advertisement for Cross River Rail on the wireless ( 4BC 1116AM ) .. ad on behalf of Queensland Government.

Mrs Ozbob likes to stream ' music ' from youtube.  Just heard an ad for Cross River Rail ... several times now ... 

[v6hilux]

Mrs Ozbob likes to stream ' music ' from youtube.  Just heard an ad for Cross River Rail ... several times now ... 

Wait till you are subscribed to the QLD Gov public announcements service - then you can receive dozens of emails about every region in QLD benefiting from $XX,000,000s in grants and how they are helping XXX # of people find jobs and get back to work and the hundreds of roads to recovery being maintained.

There is an election on the way and these announcements are flowing thick and fast at the moment.

At the moment there is a room full of empty shelves - after the election, there will be no room store anything in it, AGAIN!

[Stillwater]

But there is MORE!

Page 18 of Saturday's Sunshine Coast Daily is a full-page ad for Cross River Rail. UNLOCKING OUR TRANSPORT NETWORK TO KEEP SEQ MOVING screams the headline. 

The artwork consists of a long-distance shot of the Glasshouse Mountains, a nondescript city outline plonked in the landscape and squiggles indicating nothing in particular, but presumably transport links.  The blurb says that CRR benefits 'all South-east Queensland'.

SC residents would prefer duplication between Beerburrum and Landsborough North.

[v6hilux]

SC residents would prefer duplication between Beerburrum and Landsborough North.

Rather selfish I declare! There is already a rail service for those north side people to enjoy. Diverting funds away from the CRR to construct that Duplication will only prolong the agony the southside and beyond residents now face with NO PT except school buses - just cars and trucks in gridlock.

How is this arvo traffic on a sub-arterial feeder (Middle Rd) at Greenbank where the new passenger line will go past, only once CRR is built;  https://vimeo.com/237557454#t=14s

[BrizCommuter]

SC residents would prefer duplication between Beerburrum and Landsborough North.

But what they really need is CAMCOS, duplication, CRR, and Trouts Rd Line.

[Arnz]

SC residents would prefer duplication between Beerburrum and Landsborough North.

Rather selfish I declare! There is already a rail service for those north side people to enjoy. Diverting funds away from the CRR to construct that Duplication will only prolong the agony the southside and beyond residents now face with NO PT except school buses - just cars and trucks in gridlock.

How is this arvo traffic on a sub-arterial feeder (Middle Rd) at Greenbank where the new passenger line will go past, only once CRR is built;  https://vimeo.com/237557454#t=14s

Except an inadequate passenger rail service as some people convienantly leave out, the single track NCL north of Beerburrum is also the main artery for freight services to Central and North Queensland. 

Delaying the duplication will also force more freight onto the highways where improved capacity can also carry more freight, and therefore bring more $$ into the state coffers from all parts of Queensland through track access fees by the freight operators. 

Whereas the CRR improves access for SEQ, NCL duplication north of Beerburrum benefits the rest of the state overall through improved freight capacity with passenger services being a large side benefit, although ETCS in the inner-north tracks would allow more peak slots on the Northern network including Caboolture, Kippa Ring and Nambour.

[James]

Rather selfish I declare! There is already a rail service for those north side people to enjoy. Diverting funds away from the CRR to construct that Duplication will only prolong the agony the southside and beyond residents now face with NO PT except school buses - just cars and trucks in gridlock.

Bolded is your problem. All these new developments going up in the middle of nowhere - Flagstone, Yarrabilba, New Beith, all have next to no PT. Lack of PT = lots of people driving. A bus service, or DRT, to these areas would go a long way to reducing this issue.

I would also put the heavy traffic at that time down to the school pick-up. Greenbank State School is not very well located, and the road through there isn't very wide and the low density means almost all people wishing to pick their children up need to drive.

Also, think about the consequences of an upgrade. Duplication of the SCL to Landsborough North has the potential to take cars & trucks off the highway all the way up to Cairns. A passenger line to Flagstone won't do the same, and if anything, will restrict the cargo use of the interstate line.

[v6hilux]

Except an inadequate passenger rail service as some people convienantly leave out, the single track NCL north of Beerburrum is also the main artery for freight services to Central and North Queensland. 

Delaying the duplication will also force more freight onto the highways where improved capacity can also carry more freight, and therefore bring more $$ into the state coffers from all parts of Queensland through track access fees by the freight operators. 

Well and good, but don't forget Inland Rail. I mention that because there is also a Missing link west, then north of Towwoomba that would allow this heavy freight to head north out of Brisbane via Kagaru, Banana, Wandoen, then to Port of Gladstone or continue further. It was ready to be built, but coal prices dropped.. They have now rises again and if the Inland rail and missing link is built, that should be able to remove ALL, yes ALL freight for the busy SC line.

Land is cleared and preliminary earth works have started for another 4,500 homes to be built in Greenbank - all on the promise of a future passenger station at Greenbank. CRR is crucial to the area getting this passenger service.

[Stillwater]

SCL is the next 'construction ready' project on the drawing board.  Engineering plans and environmental approvals are in place.  It is the next logical project and has a high BCR than CRR, and a lower cost than CRR.

Do not look at this purely through a passenger rail prism. Currently, it is easier and cheaper to send freight to Brisbane from every location from Rockhampton south, including Rockhampton.  Soon the economics of a congested line and better road conditions on the Bruce Highway mean that the 'demarcation point' becomes Mackay south. 

The SCL duplication has a heavy component that seeks to make rail freight on the North Coast Line more viable.  Better passenger rail services are a by-product of improved freight efficiencies on the line.  Congestion will be addressed, more slots opened, longer freight trains will pass through and they will travel faster.  Inter-regional trains capable of speeds of 160kph won't have to slow to 40-60 kph through SC curves.

[ozbob]

Despite the fact that Cross River Rail has ' started ' ... I think the project rightly or wrongly most likely to be completed in the next 10 years of the trio Cross River Rail, NW rail corridor (Trouts Road) and SCL upgrade, is ....

SCL.   

Queensland is very messed up in their precious political heads at present. 

It will take a lot of effort and good fortune for Labor to be successful in the looming #qldvotes.  Just the reality folks ...

A One Nation/LNP coalition will be loads of laughs hey? 

In one way though, it is will be sweet revenge watching the public transport meltdown with the LNP hand on the throttle ..

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Demolishers move in to start $5.4 billion Cross River Rail works

The demolition will pave the way for a new rail station 29 metres underground designed to be used by 18,000 people a day by 2030.

An industry briefing on the Cross River Rail project attracted 650 people to a business lunch last month, at which expressions of interest were called. Expressions of interest on the project close mid-November and the top three bids will be made public in late January or early February.

Ms Trad said that meant Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls must now to make his position on the Cross River Rail clear.

"This project is critical for the growth of our city and has widespread support throughout industry and the community," Ms Trad said.

"Tim Nicholls and the LNP need to make their position clear – will Tim cut the biggest public transport project in a century for the second time?"

The LNP in 2012 cancelled Labor's Cross River Rail project when it came to power and instead developed the $5 billion underground Bus and Train Project.

That project was cancelled by Labor when it won the 2015 election.

Cross River Rail project delivery director Jason Malouf told 650 industry delegates last month that works at the Woolloongabba site were "the first priority".

"It will clear the site for tunnelling operations, including the demolition of the existing buildings and the supply of high-voltage power for tunnel boring machines," Mr Malouf said.

The LNP's deputy leader Deb Frecklington said Labor was not revealing the full cost of the project, claiming the operational costs of running the project "approached $15 billion".

"Labor's own business case shows the real cost of Cross River Rail is more than $15 billion and, alarmingly, only $2.8 billion has been put in Labor's budget over the forward estimates. The project isn't even fully funded," Ms Frecklington said.

The LNP argues the Cross River Rail project asks for nine-car trains, while the $4.4 billion New Generation Rolling Stock project only provides six-car trains.

Ms Frecklington pointed out the two major contracts were not to be announced until October 2018.

"Even according to Labor's own Cross River Rail delivery schedule, the two main work packages - Rail, Integration and Systems; and Tunnel, Stations and Development - won't be awarded until October 2018 and April 2019, respectively."

Labor has always only included the construction costs of the project.

The state government budgeted $2.85 billion over four years to begin the project as a public-private partnership scheme like the Gold Coast's Light Rail Project.

If re-elected for another term, Queensland Labor will ask future federal governments to contribute to the project.

How the Go Print demolition will go ahead

    Asbestos removal has begun and will be followed by demolition of the wall and ceiling.
    Two three-tonne excavators will remove the roof in a series of sections.
    A rock breaker will be used to collapse the slabs, pillars and walls.
    Up to 10 tip loader truck movements a day will cart away the 9000 tonnes of concrete, 350 tonnes of scrap steel and 80 tonnes of dry waste.
    An exclusion zone has been established around the site.
    A traffic management plan will operate from 6.30am-6.30pm Monday to Saturday.

[dancingmongoose]

The LNP argues the Cross River Rail project asks for nine-car trains, while the $4.4 billion New Generation Rolling Stock project only provides six-car trains.

Clutching at straws there. Also remember the LNPs BaT tunnel could only be used by NGRs and who knows if they'll even be in service before CRR is completed

[ozbob]

CRR will be constructed such that 9 car trains can use it in the future. Initially it will be the 6 car Ngrs.

[Derwan]

Clutching at straws there. Also remember the LNPs BaT tunnel could only be used by NGRs and who knows if they'll even be in service before CRR is completed

The LNP is incapable of forward-thinking.  Just look at the NBN.  (Yes - different levels of government, but same thinking.)

[Cazza]

CRR will be constructed such that 9 car trains can use it in the future. Initially it will be the 6 car Ngrs.

Would love to see a 3 car EMU towing a NGR to form a 9 car unit. That would be impressive!

[mufreight]

Your aspiration of a 9 car hybrid EMU 700 set will never be realized as like most of the QR electrics they are not MU compatible, an EMU and an ICE yes, an EMU and a 200 series were tested when the 200 series first came into service but were not operated in MU in service.

[Gazza]

^I think Cazza was making a joke about the crappiness of the 700s.

[Cazza]

^I think Cazza was making a joke about the crappiness of the 700s.

Just making a joke in general really. It would be pretty funny to see something like that rolling round town.

"Honey, get the camera!"

[SurfRail]

The NGRs can be bulked up to 9-car sets if the additional cars are ordered.  We wouldn't be the first railway to have bulked up our EMUs after their original acquisition (eg Class 378 sets on the London Overground).

[ozbob]

Couriermail Editorial --> Quality public transport network will put Brisbane back on track towards New World City

TRULY global cities are renowned for their easy-to-use and affordable public transport networks.

London, New York, Paris and Tokyo have extensive subterranean train networks that make navigating these cities relatively uncomplicated, even for inexperienced travellers.

Far from resting on its laurels, the England capital is investing in a remarkable new underground venture, CrossRail, a 42km route running from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

The project and the innovative public/private funding required have not been without critics.

However, CrossRail is needed because of growing network congestion and that has only been made possible because of a long-running commitment to ensure the system remains efficient and economical.

In Brisbane, where our leaders aspire for the Sunshine State's capital to be known as a "New World City", the opposite is occurring. A shortsighted decision by the cash-strapped Bligh government to ramp up ticket prices cruelled the benefits of using trains and buses to get around, sending commuters back to their cars.

The infamous #railfail of the past two years, which led to train services being slashed because of a shortage of drivers, has doubled down on the issue by eroding confidence.

Brisbane City Council data shows public transport patronage has declined over the past five years and it lays the blame squarely at the feet of State Government price rises.

Equally, Victoria Bridge resembles a bus depot on any given day and the council has been aware of the jam caused by services trying to exit the Southeast Busway on to Melbourne St for years and has done nothing about it.

Every level of government, including federal, has a stake in Brisbane's public transport network and they all should shoulder the blame for its deteriorating appeal among the travelling public.

Committed car users may shrug at this situation. However, they too are victims and pay a price for this problem.

Less public transport use means more congestion on Brisbane's major road routes. This was demonstrated by analysis conducted for the RACQ that showed motorists travelled at just 27km/h on 18 of the city's major corridors during the morning peak and 33km/h in the afternoon.

The State Government and the council are working to address public transport patronage.

The State Government's "Fairer Fare" packages followed cuts to planned ticket price increases by its predecessors. Neither has made an empirical difference, so it is important that this reform process continues where it is effective and efficient, despite the inevitable hand-wringing from Treasury boffins about costs.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's Brisbane Metro, which will fix the critical busway bottleneck, shapes as a game-changer for the city as it will bring the high-frequency services that commuters demand.

Likewise for the state's Cross River Rail project. However, unfortunately, it faces the ill-winds of an election and political opportunism amid regional unrest about supposed southeast Queensland-centric spending.

Similar to its London contemporary, Cross River Rail has its critics. The $5.4 billion price tag is prohibitive and the business case's patronage projections are ambitious, at the very least.

However, with a single southern river crossing, it is obvious another rail link into Brisbane's inner-city is a
no-brainer at some point soon. The project will be a catalyst for urban renewal in key areas.

London's CrossRail battled questions about costs and it overcame those when a wider view of the long-term economic and social benefits were properly considered. If our political leaders take the same approach to ensure our public transport system is affordable and efficient, then the future of Brisbane will indeed be bright.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

1st November 2017

Couriermail Editorial: Quality public transport network will put Brisbane back on track towards New World City

Good Morning,

Excellent editorial opinion piece in today's Couriermail:

Couriermail Editorial (see below)--> Quality public transport network will put Brisbane back on track towards New World City

Both the ' Brisbane Metro ' utilising and enhancing our existing busway asset, and forging ahead with Cross River Rail are absolutely essential.  We really need to move past the political games that besets and has given rise to our failing public transport network.

My sense is that the public now really are starting to get what both Cross River Rail and the Brisbane Metro are about.  To not get on board the integrated solution that these projects will provide is a serious political disadvantage.  Cross River Rail is an essential enabler for the entire rail network.  Without Cross River Rail we will be transport poor in this region. Transport and mobility will grind to a halt and fail.  The Brisbane Metro will also drive essential bus network reform, providing better connections, frequency and the opportunity for  better cross suburban connectors. Something we had a crack at in 2013 but failed.  Falling patronage on the bus network too is no surprise to us.

It will be tragedy for Queensland if Brisbane is stymied on the cusp of future success.

Best wishes,
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

References:

1. Connecting Brisbane https://www.dilgp.qld.gov.au/infrastructure/connecting-brisbane.html

2.  Quality public transport network will put Brisbane back on track towards New World City
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/quality-public-transport-network-will-put-brisbane-back-on-track-towards-new-world-city/news-story/849ed515d1f3470441b6b4514186f3e0

TRULY global cities are renowned for their easy-to-use and affordable public transport networks.

London, New York, Paris and Tokyo have extensive subterranean train networks that make navigating these cities relatively uncomplicated, even for inexperienced travellers.

Far from resting on its laurels, the England capital is investing in a remarkable new underground venture, CrossRail, a 42km route running from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

The project and the innovative public/private funding required have not been without critics.

However, CrossRail is needed because of growing network congestion and that has only been made possible because of a long-running commitment to ensure the system remains efficient and economical.

In Brisbane, where our leaders aspire for the Sunshine State's capital to be known as a "New World City", the opposite is occurring. A shortsighted decision by the cash-strapped Bligh government to ramp up ticket prices cruelled the benefits of using trains and buses to get around, sending commuters back to their cars.

The infamous #railfail of the past two years, which led to train services being slashed because of a shortage of drivers, has doubled down on the issue by eroding confidence.

Brisbane City Council data shows public transport patronage has declined over the past five years and it lays the blame squarely at the feet of State Government price rises.

Equally, Victoria Bridge resembles a bus depot on any given day and the council has been aware of the jam caused by services trying to exit the Southeast Busway on to Melbourne St for years and has done nothing about it.

Every level of government, including federal, has a stake in Brisbane's public transport network and they all should shoulder the blame for its deteriorating appeal among the travelling public.

Committed car users may shrug at this situation. However, they too are victims and pay a price for this problem.

Less public transport use means more congestion on Brisbane's major road routes. This was demonstrated by analysis conducted for the RACQ that showed motorists travelled at just 27km/h on 18 of the city's major corridors during the morning peak and 33km/h in the afternoon.

The State Government and the council are working to address public transport patronage.

The State Government's "Fairer Fare" packages followed cuts to planned ticket price increases by its predecessors. Neither has made an empirical difference, so it is important that this reform process continues where it is effective and efficient, despite the inevitable hand-wringing from Treasury boffins about costs.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's Brisbane Metro, which will fix the critical busway bottleneck, shapes as a game-changer for the city as it will bring the high-frequency services that commuters demand.

Likewise for the state's Cross River Rail project. However, unfortunately, it faces the ill-winds of an election and political opportunism amid regional unrest about supposed southeast Queensland-centric spending.

Similar to its London contemporary, Cross River Rail has its critics. The $5.4 billion price tag is prohibitive and the business case's patronage projections are ambitious, at the very least.

However, with a single southern river crossing, it is obvious another rail link into Brisbane's inner-city is a
no-brainer at some point soon. The project will be a catalyst for urban renewal in key areas.

London's CrossRail battled questions about costs and it overcame those when a wider view of the long-term economic and social benefits were properly considered. If our political leaders take the same approach to ensure our public transport system is affordable and efficient, then the future of Brisbane will indeed be bright.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/925407544830410752

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/eastTMoore/status/925537556715810816

[v6hilux]

Let there be no doubt - CRR WILL be dumped, because of the "go it alone" thing, 2018 GC games, NGR fiasco and too many people on the north side with a current rail service want the duplication.

[BrizCommuter]

Let there be no doubt - CRR WILL be dumped, because of the "go it alone" thing, 2018 GC games, NGR fiasco and too many people on the north side with a current rail service want the duplication.

Yep, it's a vote for 1 extra tph for the Sunshine Coast vs 18tph through CRR.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/tennewsqld/status/925628619166179328

[v6hilux]

How could have I and the rest of yous, missed the METRO (MTR) factor.

Melbourne now and soon Sydney (SMNW) will have it - and as an educated guess, MTR is waiting to move in and make CRR viable - I shall call it the BMSW project (Brisbane Metro South-West or "bumswipe") and it will operate private passenger services from Salisbury to Beaudesert. Stage One will probably terminate at Parkinson or Greenbank - Stage Two, will go the rest of the way to Beaudesert.

Watch this space!

[aldonius]

Sure, and is there enough capacity on existing services north of Salisbury?

[v6hilux]

Sure, and is there enough capacity on existing services north of Salisbury?

Yes, once CRR is operational.

[aldonius]

If CRR is operational in this scenario, why wouldn't we just run the line as part of the Citytrain network?

[v6hilux]

If CRR is operational in this scenario, why wouldn't we just run the line as part of the Citytrain network?

"We" could, but these recent times see private money in government (which we voted in) projects getting the nod to the detriment of the voters!

I'm sure in the days before Business Cases, "we" would have what we need, but sadly, not now!

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> RACQ urges massive funding on roads and public transport to prevent choking congestion

MOTORING group RACQ has added pressure to the Government for a massive overhaul of roads and public transport claiming the southeast was facing choking congestion unless funding was allocated.

Its top 10 transport projects included the development of the Cross River Rail, a north-south urban arterial to relieve pressure on the Bruce Highway and a north west transport corridor.

RACQ spokesman Paul Turner said the region was facing the prospect of being smothered by long commutes and crowded, unreliable public transport if government failed to keep up the pace of new funding.

"If we don't see commitment from all sides of politics on congestion-busting projects like Cross River Rail now, we'll be left in the dark ages," Mr Turner said.

"Brisbane is a fantastic city, but we don't have the road, public or active transport infrastructure we need to cope with current levels, and future predictions, of network use."

"From Mount Isa to Moreton Bay, we need to see a commitment from all parties for capital expenditure to be set to a minimum of 2 per cent Gross State Product," he said.

"It's a false economy to continue to reduce government investment in roads and transport systems across the State. Under-investment is detrimental to Queensland's future prosperity and safety."

Its other top 10 projects for Greater Brisbane priority projects were a railway level crossing upgrade program, a Centenary Motorway upgrade, an Ipswich Motorway upgrade, a pedestrian and cycle bridge from Brisbane CBD to Kangaroo Point, an expanded cycle network to separate bicycles from cars on major urban roads and an extension of Springfield rail line to Ripley.

It said the Pacific Motorway also needed to have upgrades between Varsity Lakes and Tugun, an upgrade to eight lanes from the Gateway to Loganholme and to deliver the $8.5 billion upgrade of the Bruce Highway and a Gympie bypass.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

15th November 2017

The Problem With Tim's Very Fast Train - Cross River Rail

Greetings,

The LNP this week released a public transport policy document. Inside is a promise for a study into a very fast train (we will call it High-Speed Rail or HSR for simplicity).

RAIL Back on Track will support HSR only if it is consistent with our Regional Rapid Rail vision. In our vision, signal and selective track upgrades building on the existing rail network will allow the introduction of electric tilt trains to lines such as the Gold Coast Line, Sunshine Coast Line and even to Toowoomba as DMU tilt trains. The faster tilt trains will enter the Brisbane CBD through Cross River Rail.

Problems with Tim Nicholls' and the LNP's proposal include:

- Queensland's railways are narrow gauge. Worldwide, HSR systems are generally standard gauge. This would cost tens of billions to set up from scratch in Queensland and take many decades to be a decent size. It is not going to happen. Therefore, any HSR proposal will need to be the result of evolving the existing narrow gauge rail network. It is a fact that the Australian rail speed record is held by a Queensland Rail tilt train - 210 km.h ( 130.4 mph) recorded between Meadowvale and Avondale near Bundaberg Queensland on the 23rd May 1999, running on narrow gauge!

- A HSR train's higher speed reduces line capacity. Higher speed and shorter journey time will also induce much higher passenger patronage. With 'all stop' train services also sharing the tracks, a peak-hour capacity crisis on the Gold Coast line will occur.

- Due to this lack of capacity at peak hour, the LNP's HSR trains will experience massive train congestion entering the Brisbane CBD. Any time savings from HSR express running will cancel out, and reduced line capacity will lead to overcrowding on trains. A new river crossing is thus required. In short - Cross River Rail.

- Tim Nicholls has been casting doubt by saying that Cross River Rail "didn't stack up". Rubbish. Both the cost-benefit analysis and the net present value indicators assessed by Infrastructure Australia were large and positive. Cross River Rail must proceed as planned now!

- We note that Tim Nicholls has lent his support to a duplicated M1 motorway, both without Infrastructure Australia analysis or any cost-benefit analysis. How is this not a double standard?

Tim Nicholls needs to spell out exactly how these new HSR trains on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast lines will enter the Brisbane CBD. Geometry requires that they must cross the Brisbane River somewhere, and it is hard to see how they will do that without a 'Cross River Rail like' tunnel being built.

Statements about 'overall' general patronage levels proving that Cross River Rail is not needed are invalid because commuter rail systems are built for peak load times, just like electricity networks, road networks and stadiums are.  Other states are moving forward with their heavy rail networks, Queensland is frozen in time.

It is good to dream but the reality is the immediate concern needs to be unblocking the metropolitan system before SEQ stagnates. Cross River Rail is essential in that reality.

Best wishes,

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

References:

LNP Public Transport Policy
https://www.betterqueensland.org.au/better-public-transport

Gold Coast - Regional Rapid Rail link?
https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=12393.0

New Zealanders have already proposed a Regional Rapid Rail concept for New Zealand's largest
city, Auckland. See https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2017/08/17/introducing-regional-rapid-rail/

[curator49]

More thought bubbles from the LNP just like the BAT Tunnel no planning just think that its a "good idea" to swindle the voters. There are still some "rusted on" LNP voters who think the BAT tunnel is a fantastic idea and is ready to go. What BS!

[Stillwater]

ALP rhetoric - from the ALP national website:

"Australia's infrastructure challenge is an economic challenge that needs national leadership. For too long, infrastructure priorities have been beholden to the political priorities of governments. A Shorten Labor Government will end this. Labor will take the politics out of infrastructure and put the national interest at the heart of nation-building."

Pity the policy does not explain how politics will be taken out of decision-making on infrastructure investment.

[#Metro]

"Australia's infrastructure challenge is an economic challenge that needs national leadership. For too long, infrastructure priorities have been beholden to the political priorities of governments. A Shorten Labor Government will end this. Labor will take the politics out of infrastructure and put the national interest at the heart of nation-building."

Politicians promising to take the politics out of ... X. Um, they're politicians.

Proper way to do it is to allow states to have a decent tax base. That way only genuinely national infrastructure (i.e. one that crosses the border of a state such as a national highway or national freight network) has to deal with federal funding.

This is also the most efficient outcome as federal involvement often adds an additional layer of uncertainty (particularly so when government stripes are mismatched). States spending their own money also means less incentive to waste.

[techblitz]

Labor will take the politics out of infrastructure and put the national interest at the heart of nation-building."

yeah and blow the deficit out at a faster rate than the opposition...........anyone can pump out infrastructure with a blank cheque book...while having the freedom to keep unions happy and onside by bloating public services.......this state is still reeling from the anna bligh years

[Derwan]

Woolloongabba update:

Queensland Shared Services has been advised that their relocation from the LandCentre has been put off until August-September 2018 (instead of early 2018).  No reason has been provided for the change.  It lines up (just) with the deadline given to be out of the Landcentre building.

Asbestos removal at the old GoPrint building should now be complete.  (Last update received was that it was scheduled for completion on 11 November).  Demolition works should now be in progress.  A vehicle ramp will be built into the basement of the GoPrint building to allow the removal of construction waste.

Internal furniture and fittings have been removed from the old dental hospital.

[Stillwater]

Tim comes clean on Cross River Rail project:

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/queensland-election-2017-lnp-leader-tim-nicholls-indicates-he-would-delay-cross-river-rail/news-story/7bc7a901e88ca12b489b9d9e36f37269

[ozbob]

^

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/933007860891447296