Joint statement by the Prime Minister, the
Hon P J Keating, and the Minister for Land
Transport, the Hon Bob Brown MP.
PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCES START TO $ 181 MILLION
OF ONE NATION NATIONAL RAIL NETWORK PROJECTS
The reality of ' One Nation: one national rail freight system' came a step closer today.
Prime Minister Paul Keating and Federal Land Transport Minister, Bob Brown,
announced Federal Government funding of $ 181 million as an initial instalment in a
program of mainline rail tmprovements around the country as part of the One Nation
jobs creation and economic package.
The release of One Nation rail fundmg coincided with today's official opening by Mr
Keating of th e ational Rail Corporation headquarters at Parramatta. The Corporation
has adopted the business name ' National Rail'.
Mr Keating and Mr Brown said formation of National Rail with participating states as
shareholders, and the massive reinvestment planned for the national railway network was
a response to Australia's need to re-equip and restructure its institutions to meet the
future economic and social needs of the Australian community.
' A responsible acceleration of infrastructure investment can directly boost employment in
the short term, while improving the economy's long-term growth potential', they said.
The projects announced today are the first stage of the $ 454 million national rail network
investment program contained in the Federal Government's One Nation economic
statement, which aims to generate more than 6000 rail reconstruction jobs directly in the
next two vears. A further 6000 jobs will be created indirectly.
A total of 18 projects and groups of projects has been approved. A list of these is
attached. Detailed planning is continuing on other projects, which are likely to be
approved during the coming months. / 2
1031
In addition, the NSW Government has agreed to guarantee
AN access to the Broken Hill-Parkes line until September
1997 to allow the Indian Pacific continued use of that
route after standardisation of the Melbourne-Adelaide
line. ADELAIDE 9 August 1992 1135
I
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These projects, together with establishment of National Rail to take control of all
interstate rail freight operations, will help remove the physical and parochial barriers that
have long inhibited the efficiency and competitiveness of the national rail network', Mr
Keating and Mr Brown said.
' Federal Government approval for the initial projects has been subject to a commitment
by the ACTU, rail unions and the Corporation to a greenfields enterprise award under
which NRC employees would work.
' The enterprise award will provide the basis for a new, more productive work
environment where all company employees can focus on quality customer service.
National Rail's first corporate plan, approved recently by the company shareholders,
targets unit cost reductions of 45 per cent.
' It also targets a market share increase of 10 per cent during the next five years', they
said. Mr Keating and Mr Brown said the One Nation rail program would, for the first time in
Australia's history, provide a uniform gauge rail track linking all mainland state capitals
and Alice Springs.
Projects on the Sydney-Brisbane and Sydney-Melbourne corridors comprise the design
and replacement of bridges, track upgrading and new sleepers. Melbourne-Adelaide
gauge standardisation will involve design work for the section between Melbourne and
the South Australian border, conversion of broad gauge track from Ararat to the border
and construction from the border to Adelaide.
Connections to ports include a standard gauge connection to the Port of Brisbane at
Fisherman Islands, upgrading of the South Dynon ship-rail container terminal and a
direct road link to the Port of Melbourne, and design of the Outer Harbour terminal in
Adelaide. Overall, crossing loops, track upgrading and gauge standardisation over rail corridors
from Brisbane to Perth will require the purchase of significant quantities of rail and
concrete sleepers from local manufacturers. Initial contracts for the supply of some 3000
tonnes of heavy 60 kg rail and one million concrete sleepers are being let.
Sydney 6 August 1992
Media contact Canberra: Richard Desmond ( 06) 274 7306
NRC: Fred Affleck ( 02) 685 2555
ATFACHMENTS ( 3)
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3
ATFACHMENT 1 APPROVED ONE NATION RAIL SPENDING
The initial national rail projects approved by Prime Minister Paul Keating today are:
track upgrading along the Sydney-Melbourne rail corridor, including
replacement of sub-standard bridges;
Sydney rail container terminal improved access Glenlee/ Enfield design;
Port of Melbourne improved access to rail terminal and expansion
of the South Dynon container terminal;
Melbourne-Adelaide mainline standard gauge conversion;
Port Adelaide Outer Harbour rail access improvements;
track upgrading along the Sydney-Brisbane rail corridor, including
replacement of sub-standard bridges;
partial contribution towards a Brisbane port standard gauge
link ( Acacia Ridge to Fisherman Islands), subject to the findings
of an environmental impact study;
the manufacture of one million concrete sleepers and 3000 tonnes of
rail for track upgrading.
(* SEE MORE DETAILED LISTAT ATTACHMENT 2) 1083
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ATTACHMENT 2 ONE NATION
RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE STAGE ONE APPROVED PROJECTS
APPROVED
PROJECT COST
( millions)
PROJECT NAME AND LOCATION
PORT OF BRISBANE
Standard gauge link to Fisherman Islands
( Subject to environmental assessment)
SYDNEY-BRISBANE CORRIDOR
Replacement of six timber bridges
Tamban Macksville ( 3 bridges)
Karagi Nana Glen
Design of six replacement bridges
Wauchope Pembroke Tamban Bonville Coramba Grafton
Track and sleepers ( 7.4 km)
Macksville Lzeville Casino Cougal
SYDNEY-MELBOURNE CORRIDOR
Track and sleepers Exeter to Medway prelim. design ( curve realignment)
Track upgrading, Sydney-Victoria border
Design of tack upgrading, Albury-Melbourne
Design and replacement of bridges
Wagga Bridge
Albury Viaduct
Menangle Viaduct
Joppa Junction 30.000 3.270 0.477 5.293 0.050
15.000 1.000
1084
APPROVED
PROJECT NAME AND LOCATION PROJECT COST
( millions)
GLENLEE-ENFIELD FREIGHT LINE
Design work 2200
MELBOURNE-ADELAIDE GAUGE STANDARDISATION
Detailed project design 3.000
Ararat-South Australian border track conversion 9.060
SA border to Adelaide track conversion 45.000
MELBOURNE RAIL TERMINAL
Upgrade South Dynon Terminal 5.000
Access Road, Dynon to Swanson/ Appleton Dock 5.000
OUTER HARBOUR IMPROVEMENTS PORT ADELAIDE
Design of Outer Harbour rail terminal 0.400
ADELAIDE-KALGOORLIE CORRIDOR
Increase clearances, Adelaide-Kalgoorie 2.000
PURCHASE OF MATERIALS ALL CORRIDORS
Purchase 3000 tonnes of 60kg rail 2.700
Manufacture of one million concrete sleepers 50.000
GRAND TOTAL $ 180.940 1005
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ATTACHMENT 3
ONE NATION RAIL SPENDING TOTAL PROGRAM
Port of Brisbane standard gauge link ( Acacia Ridge/ Fisherman Islands)
Sydney-Brisbane corridor track and bridge upgrading $ 82m
Sydney-Melbourne corridor track and bridge upgrading SIlOm
Construction of freight line $ 71m
between Glenlee and Enfield
Melbourne-Adelaide line conversion to standard gauge $ 115m
Melbourne Rail Terminal
upgrade South Dynon freight container terminal
access road, Dynon to Swanston/ Appleton Docks
Port Adelaide Outer Harbour rail terminal $ 8m
Adelaide-Perth corridor $ 13m
TOTAL: $ 454m
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ONE NATION EARLY START PROJECTS
PURCHASE OF MATERIALS FOR
USE ON THE NATIONAL SYSTEM
Manufaclum of concrle sleepers
SPurchase of eln1t 2.7m STANDARD GAUGE
PORT CONNECTION $ 30.0m
IFREMANTLE ISLINGTON
Line upgrade SYDNEY BRISBANE
Line upgrade $ 9.04m
KWINANA PICTON
Line upgrade $ 13.5m MELBOURNE ADELAIDE
STANDARDISATION $ 57.06m MELBOURNE SYDNEY
Line upgrade $ 17.54m
DYNON FREIGHT TERMINAL
UPGRADE
A decision on route selection between Melbourne
and Ararat Is expected soon.
ONE NATION MAINLINE RAIL PROJECTS
0 00