MORRISON SHOULD GET BEHIND GENUINE HIGH-SPEED RAIL

Scott Morrison should listen to Labor and to industry and get behind genuine High-Speed Rail by investing to preserve the route corridor.
 
High-Speed Rail is a game changer for real decentralisation, with benefits flowing to both the city and the country.
 
The Australian Financial Review today reports major property and transport sector CEOs are calling on Scott Morrison to commit to High-Speed Rail.

“Most importantly, high-speed rail can be a connector and equaliser – giving people improved access to major capital cities or activity hubs, opening up possibilities for greater participation in education, jobs and cultural experiences, helping people create better lives with more opportunities.”

Mark Steinert, CEO of Stockland, Australian Financial Review, 4 November 2019

 
Labor worked with the cross bench last year to pass a Bill to establish a High-Speed Rail Authority. Scott Morrison used a technicality to ignore the will of the Parliament.
 
Work could now be underway finalising track alignment, commencing land acquisitions, updating the business case and securing proponents to build and operate the rail.
 
Instead, the best Scott Morrison’s junior Infrastructure Minister can say is that they might consider High-Speed Rail some-time in the next 20 years!
 
Preserving the route corridor for High-Speed Rail remains on Infrastructure Australia’s Priority List as a near-term high priority initiative.
 
This inaction underlines the wrong priorities of the Morrison Government - $16.9 million spent advertising it’s so-called infrastructure plans but not a cent on High-Speed Rail that will unlock real decentralisation, reduce congestion and grow jobs in both the country and city.
 
Instead of kicking High-Speed Rail off onto the never never, Scott Morrison must invest to preserve the route corridor.