J0
PRM4MIISE
EARLY START TO PORT OF BRISBANE RAIL LINK
Brisbane will become a major sea freight transfer centre serving much of eastern
Australia and the South Pacific within five years, Prime Minister Paul Keating predicted
today. Mr Keating's statement was backed by Federal Land Transport Minister, Bob Brown,
who said tbat a major study had estimated that a standard gauge rail link to the Port of
Brisbane would generate new business employing 3100 people and would inject more
than $ 224 million into the Queensland economy over 10 years.
Mr Keating and Mr Brown were commenting on the Federal Government's decision to
release $ 30 million of One Nation money immediately as a Commonwealth contribution
to the 21 km link from the Port at Fisherman Islands to the existing standard gauge
railway line at Dutton Park.
The new National Rail Corporation will contribute $ 10 million to the project, with the
Queensland Government meeting the remainder of the $ 90 million estimated cost.
Mr Keating and Mr Brown said the Commonwealth contribution was conditional upon
the link meeting stringent environmental standards.
The Commonwealth would also allocate $ 9 million as an initial payment towards the $ 82
million upgrading of the Brisbane-Sydney railway line. The One Nation money will be
used to replace several bridges and place new sleepers along deficient sections of the
standard gauge track in Northern New South Wales. Proposals would be submitted soon
for the remainder of the $ 82 million earmarked for this corridor.
' The aim of this spending is to encourage shipping lines wanting to minimise steaming
times and shorten costly port delays to choose Brisbane as a regular stopover,
particularly if goods can be transferred interstate by a more efficient Australian rail
freight network. / 2
1098
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The Port of Brisbane rail link will connect Brisbane directly into a rail grid running to all
mainland state capitals, while improvements on the Brisbane-Sydney line will reduce rail
travelling time to about 16 hours, the same time as road transport takes to make the
journey', Mr Keating and Mr Brown said.
' Ukely national benefits include increased speed and reliability of freight transfer, lower
costs to freight forwarders and consumers and greater competitiveness in Australia's
trade-exposed sectors through the major ports.
' At present, the port is served by a Queensland Rail narrow gauge freight line. Interstate
freight traffic to or from the port. must be trans-shipped to or from the standard gauge
line the Acacia Ridge goods yards using either road or narrow gauge rail.
This is an inefficient method of operation, as interstate freight transported by rail beyond
Brisbane must be double-handled'.
Mr Keating and Mr Brown said the One Nation investment in the Brisbane-Sydney rail
corridor and Port of Brisbane link would increase rail's share of the transportation task
down the New South Wales coast from 35 per cent to 45 per cent.
The Dutton Park-Fisherman Islands standard gauge link is planned to follow an existing
suburban rail corridor through Brisbane's southern suburbs. Construction is expected to
generate employment for about 750 people in 1992-93 and 1993-94. The line is
expected to be completed in 1995.
For more information, contact Richard Desmond ( 06) 274 7306 1099
ONE NATION EARLY START PROJECTS
SYDNEY TO BRISBANE
QUEENSLAND
NEW SOUTH WALES ' SYDNEY
1100 STANDARD GAUGE LINK
TO FISHERMAN ISLANDS
Grafton
Nama GlenREPLACEMENT OF
TIMBER BRIDGES
$ 3.27m
PURCHASE OF MATERIALS FOR
USE ON THE NATIONAL SYSTEM
* Manufacture of concrete sleepers
* Purchase of rail $ 2.7m