PRIME MINJISTER
joint statement by the Prime Minister, the
HoD P J Keating, and the Minister for Land
Transport, the Hon Bob Brown MIP.
FEDERAL GOVERNMIENT APPROVES $ 47.4 MILLION
FOR SOUTH AUSTRALI[ AN RAIL PROJECTS
The Federal Governument today approved the $ 47.4 million first instalment in its One
Nation upgrading program for South Australian railways. The funding will create about
1200 new jobs.
The largest single expenditure item is a $ 45 million contribution towards converting the
Adelaide-Melbourne railway line to standard gauge. A further $ 2 million will be used to
increase the height of eight bridges on the Adelaide-Kalgoorlie route to facilitate, in the
long term, trains carrying double-stacked containers to operate with safe clearances.
Design work for the rail loop to be built adjacent to the Adelaide Outer Harbour No 6
container terminal will proceed following the release of S400 000 of One Nation funding.
Eventually, the $ 8 million facility will help create an integrated ship, road and rail freight
transfer facility.
The Prime Minister, Paul Keating, and the Minister for Land Transport, Bob Brown, said
today that the combined effect of the Federal Government investment would be to
enhance Adelaide's reputation as a transport hub serving much of Southern Australia.
' It is estimated that the Outer Harbour improvements alone will mean that 50 000
additional containers could be shipped through the Port-of Adelaide, which will become
an international terminal specialising in high priority containers under the One Nation
strategy', Mr Keating and Mr Brown said in a joint statement.
All three projects announced today support the interstate freight operations of National
Rail, the organisation which the Federal Government and the governments of New South
Wales, Victoriai, Queensland and Western Australia agreed to establish last year.
National Rail will take over and manage all interstate rail freight services throughout
Australia. 2
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Mr Keating and Mr Brown said the effects of this decision on the residual r., leinents of
Australian National would be announced within the context of the Federal Budget.
They said the $ 45 million to be spent on converting the line between Adelaide and
Melbourne would meet the cost of supplying and installing concrete sleepers on the
section from Adelaide to Kiki, track and crossing loop conversion and some work in
connection with acquiring STA track.
' From Kiki to the border, existing timber sleepers will be replaced with gauge-convertible
concrete sleepers under an existing Federal Government project. Concrete sleepers have
the advantages of reduced maintenance costs and fewer speed restrictions'.
Mr Keating and Mr Brown said that following installation of gauge convertible sleepers,
one rail on the line would be moved inwards to conform with the standard gauge
measurement of 1435 mm. T7his would take place over a two and a half week period
early in 1994.
' Rail clearances will be increased between Adelaide and Kalgoorlie by raising the height
of bridges or lowering the track at eight locations in the long term. Ibis will facilitate
trains carrying double-stacked containers in well wagons while maintaining safety
clearances'. Mr Keating and Mr Brown said the revitalisation of rail transport under One Nation were
supported by other government initiatives, such as waterfront reform and more
streamlined administration of the road transport industry.
' All these measures will have far-reaching effects on transport efficiency and Australia's
ability to compete effectively in world markets, particularly in those commodities with a
high transport cost component', they said.
Sydney 6 August 1992
For more information, contact Richard Desmond ( 06) 274 7306
1102
ONE NATION EARLY START PROJECTS
PERTH TO ADELAIDE ADELAIDE
FREMANTLE ISLINGTON UPGRADING
To faclltate clarances for continer stacking $ 2.0m PURCHASE OF MATERIALS FOR
USE ON THE NATIONAL SYSTEM
Manufacture of concrete leepers
Purchase of rail $ 2.7m