BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE FUTURE – HIGH SPEED RAIL Labor Candidate for Indi Robyn Walsh has welcomed the announcement that a re-elected Labor Government would act to make sure High Speed Rail technology is part of Australia’s future. A Labor Government would enact legislation to preserve the 1,748 kilometre corridor along which the track would be laid and establish a new authority to oversee the delivery of the project. Mrs Walsh said the High Speed Rail network, which will connect our three largest cities and the national capital, forms part of Federal Labor’s plan to support jobs beyond the China mining boom. “Federal Labor’s considered approach is consistent with the work undertaken as part of our landmark, two-year implementation study, published earlier this year, which concluded that high speed rail had the potential to be a productivity, lifestyle and environmental game-changer. “The proposed east coast network, which will ultimately service two-thirds of Australians, will be built in stages. “The first section will link Sydney to Melbourne via the Southern Highlands, Canberra, Wagga Wagga, Albury Wodonga and Shepparton and be completed by 2035. “With Albury Wodonga set to play a critical role in the development of the High Speed Rail network, this is great announcement for our local community. “A high speed rail network would transform the way Australians live, work and holiday around our vast continent. “For many in our community, high speed rail would be an attractive option. They would board a train in their home town and travel at 350 kilometres per hour, arriving in the heart of either Melbourne or Sydney in a matter of hours. “As well as providing the foundation for a low carbon, high productivity economy, this new infrastructure will also better integrate our regional and urban communities and and will ease congestion on our roads and at our airports. “As well as planning for our nation’s future, the Rudd Labor Government is also making a record investment in rail right now. We have already committed more funding to urban public transport than all our predecessors since Federation combined. “In addition, we are rebuilding more than a third of the Interstate Rail Freight Network. “Federal Labor has a plan to support jobs and build infrastructure for the future, while Tony Abbott has a plan for $70 billion in spending cuts that will directly threaten jobs. “A high speed future will only happen by electing a Labor Government on September 7.”
Posted on: Mon, 26 Aug 2013 04:21:50 +0000
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