PM Transcripts

2
PRIME MINISTER
STATEMM HY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE SoN P J KEATING Hip
ADELAIDE TO DARWIN RAIL LINK
The Prime Minister announced today that the next Labor
Government will comit $ 3 million to complete thqaiurreying
work necessary for a rail-lnk between Alice Springs and
Darwin. Such a rail-link has been advocated by various interests for
some time, including especially the Northern Territory
Government. The Commonwealth Government has told the Northern
Territory Government that it woul' welcome any commercially
viable proposal, and indeed would actively facilitate its
approval and construction. It would support the inmeatwt
through-nfraStructure bonds attracting concessional taxation.
To date, however, commercial proposals have not been
forthcoming. Part of the difficulty has been arriving at
accurate figures for the cost of building the rail-link.
Indeed, the recently formed Australian Rail Develoet
Cc has requested Government assistance In completing the
munL9z. ng and pegging of the route. Of the 1400 kilostres
Involved, all but 300 kilometres has been surveyed. The next
Labor Government in happy to fund the remaining surveying so
that the commercial viability of future proposals can be more
accurately ascertained.
Labor is committed to an efficient natj! onal-railnetwqr. We
have provided substantial Investment in a standard gauge
national network through the One Nation funding. We provided
additional funds in the budget for the Islington workshops in
Adelaide. We have also provided-funi4ng for the upgrade of
the workshops of Port Augusta, and more importantly, for the
refurbishment of the Indian Pacific train.
Our record once again stands in stark contrast to that of tho
Opposition who simply do not believe in a central role for
Government. Fightback! would cut $ 87 million from land
transport, including $ 15 million from Australian National
Railways.
ADELAIDE March 1993 7123