Australia Infrastructure including IA discussion

[Fares_Fair]

Infrastructure Australia functions as set out in the Infrastructure Australia Act 2008

(1) Infrastructure Australia has the primary function of providing advice to the Minister, Commonwealth, State, Territory and local governments, investors in infrastructure and owners of infrastructure on matters relating to infrastructure, including in relation to the following:

    (a) Australia's current and future needs and priorities relating to nationally significant infrastructure;
    (b) policy, pricing and regulatory issues that may impact on the utilisation of infrastructure;
    (c) impediments to the efficient utilisation of national infrastructure networks;
    (d) options and reforms, including regulatory reforms, to make the utilisation of national infrastructure networks more efficient;
    (e) the needs of users of infrastructure;
    (f) mechanisms for financing investment in infrastructure.

Additional functions

(2) Infrastructure Australia has the following additional functions:

    (a) to conduct audits to determine the adequacy, capacity and condition of nationally significant infrastructure, taking into account forecast growth;
    (b) to develop lists (to be known as Infrastructure Priority Lists) that prioritise Australia's infrastructure needs;
    (c) to review and provide advice on proposals to facilitate the harmonisation of policies, and laws, relating to development of, and investment in, infrastructure;
    (d) to evaluate proposals for investment in, or enhancements to, nationally significant infrastructure;
    (e) to identify any impediments to investment in nationally significant infrastructure and identify strategies to remove any impediments identified;
    (f) to promote investment in infrastructure;
    (g) to provide advice on infrastructure policy issues arising from climate change;
    (h) to review Commonwealth infrastructure funding programs to ensure they align with any Infrastructure Priority Lists;
    (i) to undertake or commission research relating to Infrastructure Australia's other functions;
    (j) any functions that the Minister, by writing, directs Infrastructure Australia to perform;
    (k) any other functions conferred on Infrastructure Australia by this Act or any other law.


The above is sourced from the Infrastructure Australia website as at 9:00pm on Thursday 31st March, 2011.
I have made the additions in bold.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Fares_Fair]

The Sunshine Coast Case
This is to be a detailed analysis of the Sunshine Coast line, citing numerous reports, papers and documents that prove the immediate need for the urgent duplication of the line.

The North Coast Line (NCL) of which the Sunshine Coast is a part, is a 1669km long North South freight corridor that runs from Brisbane to Cairns and it requires urgent action by Infrastructure Australia (IA) and the Queensland State Government.

In particular, attention needs to be directed to resolving the current single line bottleneck located at Beerburrum.
If the State Government continues to ignore these vital infrastructure works, then the Federal government via IA should advise the Queensland State Government of this infrastructure's importance and the State should act upon its' Federal counterparts expert advice.

The Arguments:

Point 1.
The Sunshine Coast region, by the Queensland State Government's own population report is expected to be one of the highest growth areas in the State.
West Moreton's SD of 3.0% p.a. and Mackay SD at 2.3% are the only other regions expected to have average annual growth greater than the Sunshine Coast's 2.2% p.a., the Gold Coast also 2.2% p.a., and Brisbane SD at 1.8%
(these are for the 25 years, 2006-2031).

source: Queensland Government Population Projections, 2011 Edition.

Attached is the link to this report, which includes projections to 2056.
http://www.oesr.qld.gov.au/products/publications/qld-govt-pop-proj-qld-sd/index.php

Also see excerpt from this post:
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=5664.0 2nd Post for statistics.

Point 2.
A joint report produced by both the State and Federal Government departments, the 2007 Brisbane-Cairns Corridor Strategy exposes the critical need for the duplication of the line to improve freight services and relieve congestion on the line.

This strategy, developed and jointly owned by The Australian Government Department of Transport and Regional Services (DOTARS), the Queensland Department of Main Roads (QDMR) and Queensland Transport (QT) states;

"road and rail transport activity is expected to grow strongly at around 2.5 – 3.0% a year." p(ii).

In its' analysis under Current Corridor Performance p7, it states;
"a major impediment to NCL overall performance" as "rail congestion between Brisbane and Nambour."

Under Short Term Priorities (to 2015) p19, it states;
"Continue the current programme of road and rail works ... aimed at addressing rapid growth on the corridor between Brisbane and Nambour/Gympie North."

Unfortunately all work ceased on these works in 2009, leaving a single lane track, in this the 21st century, to what is predicted to be the second highest growth region in the entire state of Queensland.
It did not increase passenger services, nor did it result in time savings in passenger travel. Improvements (if any) to freight services are unknown.

The 2007 Strategy identifies 7 major strategic issues. First and foremost being:
"the efficiency and safety of passenger and freight movement in the section between Brisbane and Gympie." Our region!

http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/transport/publications/files/Bris_Cairns_Corridor_Strategy.pdf

Point 3.
This infrastructure construction work has been abandoned and reduced to words, it merely forms part of the Queensland State Government's SEQIPP (South East Qld Infrastructure Plan and Program) for 2026-2031.

Point 4.
This section of train line, the North Coast Line (NCL) is shared by significant freight services and short and long-distance passenger services.
It is recognised, in government reports, as unique (on a national basis) for the many types of services that utilise it,
e.g. tilt train, travel train, passenger services and freight services.

As an example of congestion, the Sunshine Coast region (as part of NCL) rail services have the most passenger rail-bus services in the entire QR network.
At the time of writing, 31st March, 2011, a staggering 52% of Sunshine Coast weekday services are rail buses between Caboolture and Nambour,
NOT trains but buses, in lieu of trains.
These statistics are symptomatic of the extent of the Sunshine Coast region's growing infrastructure problem.
Remember the growth is predicted to be the second highest in the State, for the next 25 years.

Point 5.
There are many other corroborating reports and submissions that back up the claims made in the 2007 Brisbane-Cairns Corridor Strategy.
(i.e. I don't have all my eggs in one report). Some of these are:

Caboolture to Landsborough Rail Upgrade Study: Needs Assessment
by Queensland Transport (2002),
http://www.arup.com.au/clrs/genfiles/needs_assessment_executive_summary.pdf

Landsborough to Nambour - Initial Advice Statement
by Arup Engineers (2007),
http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/docs/library/pdf/mp_landsborough_nambour_rail_IAS.pdf

National Transport Commision (sic) Rail Productivity Review Submission
by QR Limited (2008),
http://www.ntc.gov.au/rfcDocuments/QR%20Limited2008100614090277.pdf

Inner City Rail Capacity Study: MBP (2008),
http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/da0198b7-14c9-4603-98db-0bfa1ed65fe3/pdf_icrcs_stage_3_technical_pre_feasibility_appendix_a_3_passenger_demands.pdf

Inner City Rail Capacity Study - Stage 3 Freight Analysis (2008),
http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/af53e52d-d3ef-4e57-a3c6-cb2d650cef2c/pdf_icrcs_stage_3_technical_pre_feasibility_appendix_b.pdf

Submission to Infrastructure Australia re: the Brisbane Cairns Corridor (2008)
by Dr. Philip Laird, FCILT, Comp IE Aust, University of Wollongong and  ...
http://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/public_submissions/published/files/82_smasuniversityofwollongong_SUB.pdf

The Sunshine Coast Regional Council Interim Roadmap 2010 (2010)
http://www.rdasunshinecoast.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Sunshine-Coast-Interim-Regional-Roadmap-Final-20101125-v3_online1.pdf

Let's look at these reports and their conclusions in more detail.

Point 6.
Caboolture to Landsborough Rail Upgrade Study: Needs Assessment
by Queensland Transport (2002),
http://www.arup.com.au/clrs/genfiles/needs_assessment_executive_summary.pdf

Conclusion p(iii), states;
"In summary, it has been concluded that the majority of the desired levels of service cannot be met with the existing rail infrastructure.
Hence, an upgrade of the Caboolture to Landsborough (Fares_Fair note: NOT Beerburrum) section of the main north coast rail line is needed."
   
Overall, the needs assessment found that an upgrade (Fares_Fair note: to Landsborough) will:
"improve the level of service for passenger and freight rail services in terms of service frequency, hours of service, seating capacity, freight capacity, reliability, and travel time; allow for a progressive increase in rail services throughout the day and a consequent decrease in Rail bus services in the corridor;"

Remember, a staggering 52% of Nambour to Caboolture weekday train services are buses!

Point 7.
Landsborough to Nambour - Initial Advice Statement
by Arup Engineers (2007),
http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/docs/library/pdf/mp_landsborough_nambour_rail_IAS.pdf

The 'Initial Advice Statement' to the Queensland government for the Landsborough-Nambour rail corridor stated;
"It is likely that the region would experience adverse socio-economic effects should the NCL between Landsborough and Nambour not be upgraded.
Increases in demand are likely to significantly challenge the ability of the current infrastructure to support an acceptable level of rail service in the future."

Point 8.
National Transport Commision (sic) Rail Productivity Review Submission
by QR Limited (2008),
http://www.ntc.gov.au/rfcDocuments/QR%20Limited2008100614090277.pdf

Summary  p1, states;
"QR Limited welcomes the National Transport Commission's (NTC) Rail Productivity Review... Productivity improvements have continued in subsequent years, but largely in coal haulage sectors of the industry... by contrast, there has been little productivity improvement in containerised rail services ..., with the worst performance occurring in Australia's freight heartland – the East Coast. ..."

and under Queensland Projects  p11, it says;
"For a seamless and productive intermodal Melbourne to Cairns freight corridor, issues north of the Queensland border also need to be addressed. Chief among these are upgrades to the passenger and freight rail network in metropolitan Brisbane (including the Inner City Rail Capacity Project), and changes to grades and loops to permit the efficient use of 1500 metre freight trains (more than double the length of current trains)."

It further states on p11,
"The infrastructure for longer trains also needs to be provided. Train lengths on Queensland's North Coast Line are limited by the length of the smallest loop (currently 682 metres).
The prospect of a doubling of average freight train length on a rapidly growing and potentially rail-friendly corridor represents one of rail's most significant national productivity opportunities."

Conclusions  p18,
"... QR has concentrated in this submission on one of the major productivity blackspots for rail, inter-capital city container movement on Australia's east coast."
      
"The final pieces of the jigsaw are: ....
• Metropolitan Brisbane rail upgrades
(including the Inner City Rail Capacity project); and
• Infrastructure upgrade to allow longer trains Brisbane-Townsville, and ultimately Brisbane-Cairns."

This is why the duplication of the NCL, or increasing loop lengths for longer freight trains and thus relieving the bottleneck of single track north of Beerburrum, needs to occur before 2026-31. Increased loop lengths would only be a temporary fix.

Point 9.
Inner City Rail Capacity Study: MBP (2008),
http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/da0198b7-14c9-4603-98db-0bfa1ed65fe3/pdf_icrcs_stage_3_technical_pre_feasibility_appendix_a_3_passenger_demands.pdf

This study produced for Queensland Transport and jointly prepared by Maunsell |AECOM, Parsons Brinckerhoff, KPMG, Veitch Lister Consulting (vlc) and SYSTEMWIDE,
states in its';

Service Numbers – North  p20,
"The Caboolture and North Coast lines have the greatest forecast increase in patronage before 2026, whereas the Shorncliffe, Doomben and Airport lines are not expected to increase greatly."

Point 10.
Inner City Rail Capacity Study - Stage 3 Freight Analysis (2008),
http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/af53e52d-d3ef-4e57-a3c6-cb2d650cef2c/pdf_icrcs_stage_3_technical_pre_feasibility_appendix_b.pdf
This report produced for Queensland Transport by SYSTEMWIDE, states in Chapter 9;

Conclusion  p25,
"From an inner city perspective, the best course of action for the future of freight is to increase the North coast intermodal train consist lengths to 1500m. Doing so will
alleviate the need to upgrade the inner city, and will allow the current (desired) freight distribution to be maintained with operational viability. If 1500m trains
cannot be accommodated, the freight services should be spread apart ...

This will avoid infrastructure upgrades to the inner city under medium growth, and only requires a fifth track around Roma West junction under high growth to ensure a robust operation.
   
The freight curfew should remain, as running freight services during the peak hour can only be achieved by extensive additional infrastructure, or by removing passenger services causing unacceptable overloading."

The North Coast Line (NCL) is limited by the length of the smallest loop, currently 682 m. (i.e. no freight train longer than 670 metres can be currently accommodated).


Point 11.
Submission to Infrastructure Australia re: the Brisbane Cairns Corridor (2008)
by Dr. Philip Laird, FCILT, Comp IE Aust, University of Wollongong
http://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/public_submissions/published/files/82_smasuniversityofwollongong_SUB.pdf

Introduction  p1,
The accompanying submission was made during 2006 to the AusLink draft Brisbane-Cairns Corridor Strategy and was based on research conducted at the University of Wollongong.
Input also arose from earlier consulting for Queensland Transport. However, the views and research findings are the responsibility of the writer, Dr Philip Laird, FCILT, Comp IE Aust, from the University of Wollongong.

"It is suggested however that three issues warrant more attention than given in the final strategies in consideration of all candidates for Building Australia funding."
* reduction of total costs including external costs
* reduction of carbon pollution, and
* reduction of dependence upon imported oil.

Reduction of total costs including external costs.  p2,
"Rail is three times more efficient than road in using fuel to move freight."

A recent paper.  p3,
The conclusions of a recent paper of this writer "The Brisbane-Cairns Railway:building on success" given at the Australian Rail Summit in July 2008 at Sydney follows.

"Work is nearing completion to duplicate Caboolture - Beerburrum on an improved alignment and should proceed without delay to Landsborough.
Further upgrading of the Queensland North Coast line including track straightening from Landsborough to ... At least Maryborough West is now needed ... and should receive Federal funding."

A special corridor. p5, Section 4B.
"The Caboolture - Nambour track is now probably the most congested section of single rail track in Australia. It was recognised as congested as long ago as 1994 in the BTCE report of the National Transport Planning Taskforce."

"This is shown by freight train curfews in peak hours, expanding the Brisbane Rockhampton electric tilt train transit time from 7 hrs to 7 hr 15 min in 2003, and, before then the introduction of the Caboolture - Nambour 'railway' bus." (comprising 44% of weekday services as of June 6).

Point 12.
The Sunshine Coast Regional Council Interim Roadmap 2010 (2010)
http://www.rdasunshinecoast.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Sunshine-Coast-Interim-Regional-Roadmap-Final-20101125-v3_online1.pdf

Section 2.13
Towards a sustainable and productive regional economy, states;
"The forward projections of population for the region and the matching resource requirements clearly illustrate the unsustainable nature of the growth. Even under the low growth Queensland treasury population projection, population is expected to increase to 462,212 (an additional 168,000 people). This will place even more pressure to further substantially develop infrastructure across all areas - for example: health, education, transport and water."

Section 2.12 Transport, states;
... "transport demand has been growing strongly as well. There are signs that the currently (sic) infrastructure is having difficulty coping with the current demand."
"Visitors to the region ... are saying that congestion on the Bruce Highway is a deterrent."

"A number of initiatives are proposed to alleviate some of the demand and these include:
Major network additions (e.g. the proposed CAMCOS public transport  corridor, North Coast Rail duplication or the Multi Modal Transport Corridor)."

Section 2.12 Transport; goes on to state;
"However, even these would not adequately meet the projected demand under each population scenario and more would be required to meet the needs of a substantial population increase."
(e.g. Caloundra South and Palmview developments – approx. 50,000 more Sunshine Coast residents).


Final Conclusion : What do I hope to achieve?

My goal is to get the North Coast Line (NCL), in particular from the Beerburrum bottleneck through to Gympie North onto Infrastructure Australia's (IA) list of priorities.

In accordance with its charter, IA will provide advice to the Queensland State government that ensures the infrastructure bottleneck is addressed, and enable the provision of additional funding under the Build Australia Fund, with joint funding by the State, to enable works to proceed.

The improvement to services along this part of our national freight corridor will, as a consequence, also enable improvements to passenger services, which, according to all the evidence, is at maximum capacity.
This, I believe, will unfortunately be borne out by the new Sunshine Coast timetable (release now imminent) which will have minimal real improvements to SC commuter services.
The number of new train services (NOT buses), including extensions to existing services, will be able to be counted on one hand, and this for the second highest growth region of the State over the next 25 years.

I expect Sunshine Coast to Brisbane journey times will be longer (time-wise) than those currently experienced - which already are the longest (both time-wise and distance) on the SEQ network.
It is also exemplified by the fact that (as at June 6) a staggering 44% of weekday rail services between Nambour and Caboolture are in fact, buses and NOT trains!
   
There is of course, no guarantee that improvements to passenger services will occur as a result of these actions. But at a minimum, the capability will be there.
The evidence for the need of the NCL duplication works, is indeed overwhelming.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

I can be contacted via email at the following address;
sc_commuter@aaNet.com.au


Please make your responses via the link here.
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=5706.msg51640#msg51640
Thank you.

Kind regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Stillwater]

FF:  While the Federal Government may advise the state government that it considers the Sunshine Coast Line as having an operation deficiency affecting national economic performance, exports etc, the Queensland Government is not obliged to accept the advice, merely note it.  The Queensland Government is a sovereign government and it owns and controls the line.  It is obliged to obey the commonwealth under circumstances where commonwealth law overrides a state law.  This is not the case here.

However, the federal and state governments have agreed on the words of the Brisbane-Cairns strategy document, as you say, so there is a commonality of strategic direction.  I suppose what's at dispute is the rate at which the strategy is rolled out.

Infrastructure Australia accepts submissions from anyone, so a case in support of the Sunshine Coast Line duplication can be accepted from a state or an individual or group.  I am not sure when the next round of funding submissions will be sought.

[#Metro]

(b) policy, pricing and regulatory issues that may impact on the utilisation of infrastructure;

how about some road user charges to fund this infrastructure?

[Zoiks]

I would love to see the balls on a government that would try that.

omg! Cost of living... I can't afford my overseas holiday anymore.

[Stillwater]

Don't worry, just wait.  The carbon tax will hit road user charges.   

[Zoiks]

Yes and no. Its looking like petrol is going to be exempt.
AND
it has to get

[#Metro]

Yes and no. Its looking like petrol is going to be exempt.
AND
it has to get

I think your sentence sort of fell off a cliff there...

Re: Infrastructure Australia : What is its' purpose?

Automatic Teller Machine!

[colinw]

Re: Infrastructure Australia : What is its' purpose?

Automatic Teller Machine!

Nah, slush fund for pork barreling marginal seats.

[SurfRail]

Yes and no. Its looking like petrol is going to be exempt.
AND
it has to get

I think your sentence sort of fell off a cliff there...

Re: Infrastructure Australia : What is its' purpose?

Automatic Teller Machine!

One that doesn't have anything to dispense (and NSW has forgotten its PIN).

[Fares_Fair]

Yes and no. Its looking like petrol is going to be exempt.
AND
it has to get

I think your sentence sort of fell off a cliff there...

Re: Infrastructure Australia : What is its' purpose?

Automatic Teller Machine!

One that doesn't have anything to dispense (and NSW has forgotten its PIN).

and Queensland lost its PIN.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[ozbob]

June 2013 Report to COAG and Assessments

--> http://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/coag/index.aspx

[ozbob]

Twitter

Aust Railway Assoc ‏@AustRail 4h

Rail plays key part in Infrastructure Australia's 50 Year Plan but needs more focus on the BIG projects http://tinyurl.com/mbdu9ed

[ozbob]

Australian Transport News --> Industry supports IA on infrastructure plan and concerns

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Infrastructure Australia gives qualified approval to long-awaited eastern and northern busways

[SurfRail]

What has been approved is actually just bus lanes by the look of it.

I'm not sure they include the bit between Federation Street and Truro Street along Gympie Rd, it may only be for north of Kedron Brook. 

The Old Cleveland Rd section looks like it might only go from Langlands Park to Bennetts Rd, which is where the tunnelled section of busway was meant to end.

[aldonius]

Yep, it doesn't include the skipped section on the Northside, and it's inbound only at Coorparoo - total 7.5km of bus lanes from 'existing road space'.

Begs the question of what is involved (stop upgrades?) and why is it expected to cost 112M for?

[ozbob]

http://www.ara.net.au/UserFiles/file/Media%20Releases/13-07-26%20Rail-supports-continued-role-for-Infrastructure-Australia.pdf

ARA MEDIA RELEASE

26 July 2013

Rail supports continued role for Infrastructure Australia

In presenting their plans for Infrastructure and Transport Policies at the Infrastructure Partnerships Australia's National Infrastructure Symposium yesterday in Sydney, Anthony Albanese and Warren Truss both highlighted the vital role Infrastructure Australia (IA) must continue to play for our nation.

Australasian Railway Association CEO, Bryan Nye said rail congratulates the Federal Government for establishing IA and supports the Coalition's plan to maintain and improve the statutory body if they succeed in the pending election.

"Continual improvement in all areas is important and so I welcome Warren Truss' support for IA and his intentions to make some changes," said Mr Nye.

"However, noting Tony Abbott's comments in recent weeks that a Coalition Federal Government would only fund road projects, I urge the Coalition to ensure that infrastructure for all modes, whether it be road or rail is treated to a fair and equal cost benefit analysis before investment decisions and announcements are made."

The key role of IA is to take infrastructure investment out of political cycles by advising the Government and ensuring the right infrastructure project is granted approval to proceed.

"We need an integrated transport system that is capable of moving our growing population and freight into the future and if to create a network with these abilities we need long-term investment in projects that stack-up," said Mr Nye.

"Just recently IA released its 50 year National Infrastructure Plan, within which nearly a quarter of the projects listed involved rail.

"I urge the successful Government in the upcoming election to allow IA to operate as intended and to take its advice on which infrastructure projects should proceed without letting politics sway decisions," concluded Mr Nye.

-ENDS-

[ozbob]

Twitter

Daniel Bowen ‏@danielbowen 2m

Crikey: Truss delivers good sense on infrastructure policy http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/07/26/warren-truss-delivers-good-sense-on-infrastructure-policy/ ... - yet Abbott undermines it with his pledges. #auspol

[ozbob]

RIP IA

From the Sunshine Coast Daily 21st November 2013 page 16

New board will oversee state's project needs.

[ozbob]

http://anthonyalbanese.com.au/business-lobby-accuses-abbott-of-secrecy

Anthony Albanese Labor MP for Grayndler, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport

Business lobby accuses Abbott of secrecy

The most-powerful business lobby group in the country has backed Labor criticism of Tony Abbott's plan to gut the independence of Infrastructure Australia.

The Business Council of Australia has warned in a submission to a Senate Inquiry that proposed changes to legislation governing Infrastructure Australia will allow the government to limit the scope of IA's operations and censor its independent findings.

But, like Labor and a range of expert groups in the planning sector, the business community can see that amendments before the Parliament will not promote sound decision-making about spending on roads, railways, bridges and other infrastructure.

Instead they will promote secrecy and allow the government to dictate the infrastructure agenda in accordance with its political aims, rather than the national interest.

Labor created Infrastructure Australia in 2008 as an independent adviser to government. Its task is to assess and prioritise Australia's infrastructure needs according to which have the greatest potential to boost national productivity.

But changes before the Parliament allow Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss to prohibit the publication of IA's findings and to order it to exclude entire classes of infrastructure from its considerations.

These changes are designed to empower the government to tell IA what it can and cannot consider.

They are also designed to prevent embarrassment over Mr Abbott's absurd refusal to invest in urban passenger rail, which IA and anyone serious about urban policy knows is a key contributor to productivity growth in our cities.

Labor calls on Mr Abbott to dump his reform package and leave IA to get on with its job free of government interference.

Billions of dollars in scarce public funds are spent on infrastructure.

Governments need independent, non-political advice so they make informed decisions and the community should be able to see that advice in the name of transparency.

It should be noted that Infrastructure Australia has been critical of the failure to present proper business cases for projects including the East-West link in Melbourne, which Mr Abbott has said he will fund without a business case.

As the BCA submission notes: "It would be a concern if evaluations are not published because the demonstrated economic or social value is at odds with a decision by government about whether or not to support  particular investment. Publication of evaluations should be the norm except where there is a justifiable reason not to do so.''

The BCA submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Infrastructure Australia Amendment Bill 2013 is at: http://bit.ly/1fnC7YU

[SurfRail]

Bit mealy-mouthed from Albo.  He was the one who tipped money into Legacy Way and was prepared to fund Westconnex in Sydney.

Melbourne and Brisbane rail projects were committed to but not exactly on a dollar for dollar basis.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Politics aside, Infrastructure Australia does need overhaul

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Government planning proposals lack merit, says Michael Deegan

... ''Grand announcements, 'funding commitments', glossy brochures, and project websites do not change these reasons,'' Mr Deegan said in his email. ''Many proposals lack merit.'' ....

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/government-planning-proposals-lack-merit-says-michael-deegan-20140207-327by.html

No kidding ...

[#Metro]

A for-marginal-votes government considers how it can maximise marginal votes in an election. It is under political, not economic control. It can choose options that don't make sense and still muster up the funds for them. This is why we should not be surprised that all sorts of hi-waste projects from WasteGliders, Desalination Plants, Sydney Metro, WasteConnex and a myriad of purely mad ideas get up.

Oh, and this is NEVER going to change either. This is the system - it rewards people who make these decisions because it keeps them elected. It is the answer as to why the Ipswich Motorway will always be constantly upgraded at every election until it can land Jumbo Jets.

[Stillwater]

The Coalition sees Mr Deegan as 'Labor's man', whereas there is no suggestion that he has done anything other than a professional job.  It is worrying that new changes to the legislation governing Infrastructure Australia means that some projects that the government wants funded need not go through the benefit-cost analysis that IA worked up.

[ozbob]

Informa Transport --> Politicised infrastructure planning set to cause damage in the long run

[ozbob]

Anthony Albanese: Joe's all talk, no action – Opinion – The Australian

--> http://anthonyalbanese.com.au/joes-all-talk-no-action-opinion-the-australian

[ozbob]

Twitter

Alan Davies ‏@MelbUrbanist

Truss takes a swipe at Albo re Infrastructure Australia http://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2014/02/25/albanese-public-transport-is-the-low-hanging-fruit/#comment-10640 ...

[ozbob]

The Big Smoke --> Public Transport: "It's the economy, stupid"

[ozbob]

Transport and Logistic News --> Infrastructure Australia gets a temporary CEO

[ozbob]

Opposition statement: http://anthonyalbanese.com.au/truss-must-account-for-broken-promises

Apr 29, 2014

Truss must account for broken promises

Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss must explain why he is breaching his own election promise by funding major road projects without conducting cost-benefit analyses.

Mr Truss should also use his appearance tomorrow at the National Press Club to justify the Abbott Government's blanket refusal to invest in public transport projects despite clear evidence that traffic congestion in cities is inhibiting productivity growth and job creation.

During last year's election campaign Tony Abbott and Mr Truss explicitly promised they would conduct a cost-benefit analysis into any project costing more than $100 million to ensure it delivered value for money.

Their policy document said an Abbott Government would "require all Commonwealth infrastructure expenditure exceeding $100 million to be subject to analysis by Infrastructure Australia to test cost-effectiveness and financial viability''. (See policy document at https://www.liberal.org.au/our-plan/infrastructure.)

However, since the election the Government has agreed to plough billions of dollars into Melbourne's proposed East-West Link (Stages 1 and II) and Sydney's Westconnex road project.

This is despite the fact that Infrastructure Australia has yet to see a final business case for either project.

In the case of the East-West Link, Mr Truss should also explain reports that he will tear away $500 million that the previous Labor Government allocated to upgrading Melbourne's M80 Ring Road to fund this untested project.

The M80 is an Infrastructure Australia project with a positive benefit-cost ratio of 2.2, meaning that every dollar spent produces $2.20 in economic benefit.

At the same time, the Government has made clear it will cut billions of dollars earmarked by the previous Labor Government for urban rail projects including the Melbourne Metro, Brisbane's Cross-River Rail project and a rail link to the Perth Airport.

The only explanation is Mr Abbott's ideological prejudice against public transport.

Labor believes in investing in whichever mode of transport infrastructure has the greatest potential to contribute to productivity growth, whether it is road or rail.

Mr Abbott's insistence that public transport is not his business not only lets down Australians who use public transport, but will also fail to deliver taxpayers with the best value for money.

While Mr Truss is at the Press Club he should also explain his clear breach of another election promise – to retain businessman Sir Rod Eddington as head of Infrastructure Australia.

Despite Mr Abbott telling the Menzies Research Centre on April 14, 2011, that Sir Rod's jobs was safe, Mr Truss replaced him with former Victorian Liberal state government minister Mark Birrell on April 5.

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Abbott government to hand over $1b for East West Link stage two despite lack of business case

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Labor claims Prime Minister Tony Abbott dodging scrutiny on infrastructure

[ozbob]

Independent Australia --> Off the rails: How Australia is at odds with global infrastructure plans

Ambitious projects and global plans are under way, but rail freight deserves a higher priority by the Abbott Government and the states now, writes Max Berry ...

[SteelPan]

Independent Australia --> Off the rails: How Australia is at odds with global infrastructure plans

Ambitious projects and global plans are under way, but rail freight deserves a higher priority by the Abbott Government and the states now, writes Max Berry ...

It doesn't matter what political colours you favour in this debate. Politicans, on every team, talk BIG and walk small when it comes to infrastructure. To be fair, if we REALLY wanted the infrastructure we don't really want, but just wish we had, we'd all need to accept higher taxes - materially higher - infrastructure costs and 20/30/40bn in a national fund, is beer money when it comes to serious infrastructure.

We also need to encourage major super funds to expose more to the infrastructure sector - but in all fairness to them i) they have and ii) it's got make sense to them commercially.

[pandmaster]

I reckon we can find a few dollars behind the couch (e.g. diesel fuel rebates for mining companies, negative gearing, superannuation tax incentives for the wealthy) before we need to raise taxes to pay for infrastructure. Even if taxes were raised, we would get what we pay for: a higher quality of life.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Economist urges Abbott Government to invest in (rail) infrastructure 

One of Australia's leading infrastructure economists has encouraged the Abbott Government to quickly change its decision not to invest in rail infrastructure.

In April 2013 then-Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said he would not invest in rail infrastructure, telling reporters he believed that was the role of state governments.

BIS Shrapnel senior economist in infrastructure and mining Adrian Hart, who presented on Tuesday his 62-page 2015 Queensland Major Contractors Association report, urged a re-think on this point by the Abbott Government.

"I think it should be reviewed," Mr Hart said.

"I believe that governments should be investing in projects which make the best economic sense," he said ...

[ozbob]

The Australian --> What happens when infrastructure becomes all about politics

[ozbob]

Twitter

WestConnex Action @WestConnexAG  ·  2h

"Infrastructure as politics": @AlanKohler of @BusinessSpec rips into #WestCONnex & #EWLink http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2015/3/17/infrastructure/infrastructure-politics ...