Airbus expects their megajumbos will become the norm between Sydney and Melbourne; the lack of leadership on creating any kind of rail infrastructure backs up this vision.
"Perhaps part of the reason for Dixon’s remuneration windfall was due to the perpetuation by lazy analysts and commentators of one of the great myths of Australian business: that Geoff Dixon was an elite business executive."
"Sources familiar with the plans - drafted in 2003 for the 2005 Metropolitan Rail Expansion Program - say the north-west link could provide a minimum of six trains an hour in each direction, without the need to upgrade any of City Rail’s major infrastructure. It would require only the construction of an extension between Rouse Hill and Epping stations, and a new junction north of Epping."
This SMH article seems to suggest that a simple and fairly affordable north-west rail line could be up and running wth relatively little difficulty, and that the state government has been sitting on it because it won’t make them look cool the way building a spanking new metro would.
"Today, a report from the Australian government agency that looks after the nation’s emblematic Great Barrier Reef reported that “the overall outlook for the reef is poor and catastrophic damage to the ecosystem may not be averted”."
"But does anyone seriously believe Peter Garrett will block the development?"
In other words, “project approved”.
And then the Australian opposition unveils an alternative plan that actually gives more compensation to big polluters. Brilliant.
"You know what will happen. More garbage modelling will be produced by Big Carbon showing the need for continued compensation. News Ltd will run stories about rorting in other countries’ trading schemes and argue Australia should not “go it alone”. Thousands of jobs will be threatened. Ministers will get nervous, with an eye on the next election, and figure a more detailed review is needed, or put the decision off for several years."
These are possibly the least surprising survey results ever.
"By the time the Great Helmsbot arrived on the conference floor, accompanied by Julia Gillard, the delegates had been so comprehensively drilled to resist any demonstrations of triumphalism or hubris that nobody even knew whether it was OK to applaud."
NSW’s government is ineffectual, generally, but this is a good move.
