Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese will be five years shy of a century if he is still around to see high-speed trains rush along Australia’s eastern seaboard between Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
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Fifty-year-old Mr Albanese on Thursday released a study into a high-speed rail network, which included a regional station in the Southern Highlands, that could cost up to $114 billion and take until 2058 to complete.
‘‘I believe high-speed rail will happen in Australia,’’ he said.
‘‘In the past what we’ve had is some frankly well-meaning but romantic notions that you could build it and build it for free and someone else can pay for it.’’
This study was different because it was a comprehensive and detailed economic analysis, showing high-speed rail could be financially viable and return about $2.30 to Australia’s economy for every $1 invested.
Once fully operational, the line could carry 84 million passengers each year with 19 million trips between Sydney and Melbourne alone.
Mr Albanese described the concept as a ‘‘game changer’’ that would transform the way Australians live, work and holiday.
Express journeys between Melbourne-Sydney and Sydney-Brisbane would take less than three hours.
Fares between the capital city hubs would mirror prices for air travel, prompting Mr Albanese to say passengers should not expect $20 tickets between Sydney and Melbourne.
The study considered a preferred route with regional stations at the Gold Coast, Casino, Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Taree, Newcastle, the NSW central coast, the southern highlands, Canberra, Wagga Wagga, Albury and Shepparton.
Trains would travel at speeds of up 350 kilometres an hour and carry more than 700 passengers at a time along the 1748 kilometre route.
It would require 144km of tunnels, including 67km under Sydney.
‘‘It’s certainly a cracker of a tunnel,’’ Mr Albanese said of the Sydney route.
Tunnelling represents about 30 per cent of the projected construction costs.
The route aims to minimise private land resumptions.
Mr Albanese said the report was not a funding proposal and there would be no provision in the May 14 federal budget for the project.
He envisaged the capital costs would be borne mostly by the commonwealth.
‘‘We’re not putting the bite on state governments today over these issues,’’ Mr Albanese said.
But the states would have to help with planning issues.
The project would not remove the need for a second Sydney airport, Mr Albanese said, adding the growth in domestic aviation would exceed the growth in rail capacity.
The study has yet to be considered by federal cabinet.
NSW Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian will not commit to the rail link until the state gets a financial commitment from Canberra.
Victorian Premier Denis Napthine says his state has more urgent priorities.
Australian Greens leader Christine Milne said the government should take immediate action, saying it was a ‘‘great nation-building project’’.
State and territory transport ministers will discuss the concept at a meeting with Mr Albanese in May.
The federal government is seeking public feedback about the study before June 30. AAP
