What do you tell a person living in regional Queensland complaining about their poor internet reception? ‘Move to where there is good reception’, according to a practical straight talking prominent Queenslander. So, what do you tell a person living in Brisbane complaining about their transit times to and from work? If it is an issue that really bothers you, move to where there are faster transit times! Practical advice, that you won’t hear from most politicians I venture. They rather have you believe that with more money it can be fixed, eventually.
Thus, we have an interesting them (Brisbane) and us (regional/rural Queensland) scenario developing in this state election campaign that at least one party will be exploiting. The state Labor Party want the cross-river rail link in Brisbane to become reality. A 10.2km underground rail link costing around $5.4 Billion. But are careful in their wording indicating they will not support taxpayer funds (possibly $1Billion) being used to help fund the 388km Adani rail line from their Carmichael mine to Abbot Point. Which could put in jeopardy the federal government being able to give the money to Adani should they so agree, without the Queensland Government okay. The irony being eventual royalties from the said mine would I imagine go towards the debt repayments of the cross-river rail link.
Rather than address either project I’m suggesting a third rail line, Rockhampton to Kevin’s Corner. Where the hell is Kevin’s Corner? Just north of Alpha, where Gina Rinehart is planning to develop her mine in the Galilee Basin. Not a rail line to transport coal, but a mono rail to transport workers via very fast train to the mine site. Granted it would be more expensive than building an airport and fly them in and out, but if it was part of a grander scheme to link Rockhampton to Uluru then eventually Darwin, this would be more exciting than a $2 a week saving on electricity charges 10 years from now! Wouldn’t it! Probably not if you live in Brisbane. But to middle class Asian tourists looking for a unique holiday experience, could this be the trigger to fill international flights in and out of Rockhampton. Just imagine the holiday experiences you could tie in with a Rockhampton, Uluru, Darwin rail line – Central Queensland’s beaches, islands, reef’s, outback, Uluru of course and Kakadu.
To lessen the pain of $5.4 billion the state Labor Party are talking up a PPP model to finance the cross-river rail project. Public-private partnership. Would a private consortium gain a greater return on a rail line that could transport people (workers and tourists) and freight (even coal), than public transport infrastructure where the State Government sets the fares? And would Queensland get a better return on this regional infrastructure?
What should a state government do? Is this a project NAIF (Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility) should consider part funding from their $5 billion purse? Unfortunately, the likelihood is nothing will happen, as this election campaign, like the ones before, will be much negative noise, little vision. I suppose those that care should move to a region that has a grand vision and is actually doing something towards achieving it.