The Federal Government has promised it will include Wollongong in a $20 million feasibility study of a high-speed rail network on Australia's east coast.The Government yesterday resurrected plans to link Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne via high-speed rail, with a particular focus on a link between Newcastle and Sydney.Minister for Infrastructure Anthony Albanese said the study would start later this year and would take about 18 months to complete.The study would also investigate the viability of including Wollongong."Potentially, this could be a Sydney, Newcastle and Illawarra corridor," Mr Albanese told the Mercury."The greatest level of detail will be looking at Sydney and Newcastle as a first step, with the intention that it would look at the viability of building a greater network, which could involve Wollongong."Wollongong community leaders have been lobbying for a high-speed rail link since the mid '90s.A spokesman for Mr Albanese said the study would look at the most viable way of linking Wollongong with the main line."There are different lines on the map but nobody's ever made economic sense of whether those lines are viable or if the [problems] are insurmountable," he said. "The $20 million feasibility study will determine those considerations."The Coalition hit back yesterday, pledging to build on its Howard government studies to consider the viability of high-speed passenger routes between Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane.Federal governments have considered high-speed rail since 1981 but the cost has prevented it going ahead.Mr Albanese said the study would not replicate those of previous governments."This study is different because it is looking at the geotechnical and engineering issues associated with it and it's looking at construction cost," he said. "It's also the case that high-speed rail technology has moved forward substantially in recent years."Meeting the challenge of climate change increases the economic viability of transport options which produce less carbon emissions."Previous studies involving the Illawarra's viability as part of the high-speed network will be considered during the feasibility process, according to Mr Albanese."We're going to look at previous work that's been done but we'll also look at international comparisons."Cunningham MP Sharon Bird said, if elected, she would work with Regional Development Australia Illawarra to push for the region to be included in the network."The best thing for us would be to get a strategic, agreeing view of the whole area, and use that to engage with whoever gets the contract to do the feasibility study," she said.Liberal candidate for Throsby Juliet Arkwright accused the Government of playing politics. "Seeing is believing. I think this is another promise made by the Labor Party during this campaign that's in the same vein as having a new Julia - it's not going to happen," she said. "I certainly don't think that the people of Throsby should start jumping up and down with excitement and I don't think that it will improve the infrastructure and communications for the Illawarra."