Sydney to Newcastle in one hour: is the High Speed Rail on track?
Speaking to a Newcastle crowd on August 13, Mr Parker said the proposed East Coast high-speed rail would help alleviate travel woes between NSW's two largest cities.
"Everyone in this corridor has an M1 story, none of them a very good one," Mr Parker said.
The federal government is reviewing the High Speed Rail Authority's business case for a Sydney to Newcastle route, the first stage of a network that would span from Melbourne to Brisbane.
Mr Parker said they were refining the business case and hoping for a decision from the government by the end of the year.
Once the business case was reviewed, Mr Parker said the next stage was to get tenders from builders and rail supply, likely in about two years or so.
The CEO estimated the build period to take between 10 to 12 years.
Modelling shows travel time between Sydney and Newcastle would be one hour, with Newcastle to Brisbane at three hours, and Newcastle to Melbourne at five hours.
In March, the Newcastle Herald reported that the authority estimated the Newcastle to Sydney link could be built by 2037 if the government provided sufficient backing.
There has been no formal costing, although similar projects overseas have cost between $16 million and $110 a kilometre.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January that modelling for the previous state Coalition government's fast rail proposal estimated it would be between $27 billion and $32 billion from Sydney Olympic Park to Tuggerah.
On Thursday evening, Mr Parker said as well as delivering the business case to the government in December 2024, they had delivered a product definition report about the types of trains needed.
He said the for-purpose high-speed trains would travel 320 kmh on a dedicated line, meaning fewer delays.
He said the new service would have 98 per cent reliability.
"It is not a metro or suburban line, it is a competitor to the airlines," he said.
The CEO said the fares would be "competitive" with the unsubsidised Sydney train fares and the Newcastle to Sydney Greyhound buses.
He said initially they were hoping they would run four trains every hour, but ultimately run 12 trains an hour between Sydney and Melbourne and eight trains an hour between Sydney and Brisbane.
They were thinking of building eight-car trains with a capacity of 500 seats, he said.
Mr Parker said they planned to build an advanced manufacturing facility to develop components for the rail line off-site.
The project would hopefully incorporate a local manufacturing focus alongside international expertise, he said.
One of the biggest challenges of the long-term project was topographical and building around national parks, he said.
"We will have to develop this environmentally sensitively," he said.
He said while they did not have a definitive list of stations yet, they had looked very closely at Broadmeadow.
"This should be a long-term commitment with bipartisan support," Mr Parker said.
"Hopefully, both sides of politics would understand that it is good for the country and get behind it."
With a motorway and railway line nearing capacity, High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker believes there is only one clear solution.
Speaking to a Newcastle crowd on August 13, Mr Parker said the proposed East Coast high-speed rail would help alleviate travel woes between NSW's two largest cities.
"Everyone in this corridor has an M1 story, none of them a very good one," Mr Parker said.
The federal government is reviewing the High Speed Rail Authority's business case for a Sydney to Newcastle route, the first stage of a network that would span from Melbourne to Brisbane.
Mr Parker said they were refining the business case and hoping for a decision from the government by the end of the year.
Once the business case was reviewed, Mr Parker said the next stage was to get tenders from builders and rail supply, likely in about two years or so.
The CEO estimated the build period to take between 10 to 12 years.
Modelling shows travel time between Sydney and Newcastle would be one hour, with Newcastle to Brisbane at three hours, and Newcastle to Melbourne at five hours.
In March, the Newcastle Herald reported that the authority estimated the Newcastle to Sydney link could be built by 2037 if the government provided sufficient backing.
There has been no formal costing, although similar projects overseas have cost between $16 million and $110 a kilometre.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January that modelling for the previous state Coalition government's fast rail proposal estimated it would be between $27 billion and $32 billion from Sydney Olympic Park to Tuggerah.
On Thursday evening, Mr Parker said as well as delivering the business case to the government in December 2024, they had delivered a product definition report about the types of trains needed.
He said the for-purpose high-speed trains would travel 320 kmh on a dedicated line, meaning fewer delays.
He said the new service would have 98 per cent reliability.
"It is not a metro or suburban line, it is a competitor to the airlines," he said.
The CEO said the fares would be "competitive" with the unsubsidised Sydney train fares and the Newcastle to Sydney Greyhound buses.
He said initially they were hoping they would run four trains every hour, but ultimately run 12 trains an hour between Sydney and Melbourne and eight trains an hour between Sydney and Brisbane.
They were thinking of building eight-car trains with a capacity of 500 seats, he said.
Mr Parker said they planned to build an advanced manufacturing facility to develop components for the rail line off-site.
The project would hopefully incorporate a local manufacturing focus alongside international expertise, he said.
One of the biggest challenges of the long-term project was topographical and building around national parks, he said.
"We will have to develop this environmentally sensitively," he said.
He said while they did not have a definitive list of stations yet, they had looked very closely at Broadmeadow.
"This should be a long-term commitment with bipartisan support," Mr Parker said.
"Hopefully, both sides of politics would understand that it is good for the country and get behind it."
With a motorway and railway line nearing capacity, High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker believes there is only one clear solution.
Speaking to a Newcastle crowd on August 13, Mr Parker said the proposed East Coast high-speed rail would help alleviate travel woes between NSW's two largest cities.
"Everyone in this corridor has an M1 story, none of them a very good one," Mr Parker said.
The federal government is reviewing the High Speed Rail Authority's business case for a Sydney to Newcastle route, the first stage of a network that would span from Melbourne to Brisbane.
Mr Parker said they were refining the business case and hoping for a decision from the government by the end of the year.
Once the business case was reviewed, Mr Parker said the next stage was to get tenders from builders and rail supply, likely in about two years or so.
The CEO estimated the build period to take between 10 to 12 years.
Modelling shows travel time between Sydney and Newcastle would be one hour, with Newcastle to Brisbane at three hours, and Newcastle to Melbourne at five hours.
In March, the Newcastle Herald reported that the authority estimated the Newcastle to Sydney link could be built by 2037 if the government provided sufficient backing.
There has been no formal costing, although similar projects overseas have cost between $16 million and $110 a kilometre.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January that modelling for the previous state Coalition government's fast rail proposal estimated it would be between $27 billion and $32 billion from Sydney Olympic Park to Tuggerah.
On Thursday evening, Mr Parker said as well as delivering the business case to the government in December 2024, they had delivered a product definition report about the types of trains needed.
He said the for-purpose high-speed trains would travel 320 kmh on a dedicated line, meaning fewer delays.
He said the new service would have 98 per cent reliability.
"It is not a metro or suburban line, it is a competitor to the airlines," he said.
The CEO said the fares would be "competitive" with the unsubsidised Sydney train fares and the Newcastle to Sydney Greyhound buses.
He said initially they were hoping they would run four trains every hour, but ultimately run 12 trains an hour between Sydney and Melbourne and eight trains an hour between Sydney and Brisbane.
They were thinking of building eight-car trains with a capacity of 500 seats, he said.
Mr Parker said they planned to build an advanced manufacturing facility to develop components for the rail line off-site.
The project would hopefully incorporate a local manufacturing focus alongside international expertise, he said.
One of the biggest challenges of the long-term project was topographical and building around national parks, he said.
"We will have to develop this environmentally sensitively," he said.
He said while they did not have a definitive list of stations yet, they had looked very closely at Broadmeadow.
"This should be a long-term commitment with bipartisan support," Mr Parker said.
"Hopefully, both sides of politics would understand that it is good for the country and get behind it."
With a motorway and railway line nearing capacity, High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker believes there is only one clear solution.
Speaking to a Newcastle crowd on August 13, Mr Parker said the proposed East Coast high-speed rail would help alleviate travel woes between NSW's two largest cities.
"Everyone in this corridor has an M1 story, none of them a very good one," Mr Parker said.
The federal government is reviewing the High Speed Rail Authority's business case for a Sydney to Newcastle route, the first stage of a network that would span from Melbourne to Brisbane.
Mr Parker said they were refining the business case and hoping for a decision from the government by the end of the year.
Once the business case was reviewed, Mr Parker said the next stage was to get tenders from builders and rail supply, likely in about two years or so.
The CEO estimated the build period to take between 10 to 12 years.
Modelling shows travel time between Sydney and Newcastle would be one hour, with Newcastle to Brisbane at three hours, and Newcastle to Melbourne at five hours.
In March, the Newcastle Herald reported that the authority estimated the Newcastle to Sydney link could be built by 2037 if the government provided sufficient backing.
There has been no formal costing, although similar projects overseas have cost between $16 million and $110 a kilometre.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January that modelling for the previous state Coalition government's fast rail proposal estimated it would be between $27 billion and $32 billion from Sydney Olympic Park to Tuggerah.
On Thursday evening, Mr Parker said as well as delivering the business case to the government in December 2024, they had delivered a product definition report about the types of trains needed.
He said the for-purpose high-speed trains would travel 320 kmh on a dedicated line, meaning fewer delays.
He said the new service would have 98 per cent reliability.
"It is not a metro or suburban line, it is a competitor to the airlines," he said.
The CEO said the fares would be "competitive" with the unsubsidised Sydney train fares and the Newcastle to Sydney Greyhound buses.
He said initially they were hoping they would run four trains every hour, but ultimately run 12 trains an hour between Sydney and Melbourne and eight trains an hour between Sydney and Brisbane.
They were thinking of building eight-car trains with a capacity of 500 seats, he said.
Mr Parker said they planned to build an advanced manufacturing facility to develop components for the rail line off-site.
The project would hopefully incorporate a local manufacturing focus alongside international expertise, he said.
One of the biggest challenges of the long-term project was topographical and building around national parks, he said.
"We will have to develop this environmentally sensitively," he said.
He said while they did not have a definitive list of stations yet, they had looked very closely at Broadmeadow.
"This should be a long-term commitment with bipartisan support," Mr Parker said.
"Hopefully, both sides of politics would understand that it is good for the country and get behind it."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
From the ritz to the rubble: Queens Wharf building through the years
As far as grand openings go, Queens Wharf enjoyed an auspicious welcome into the world. Queen Elizabeth II opened the harbourside building on Saturday, May 7, 1988, alongside her husband, Prince Philip, after sailing overnight from Sydney on the Royal Yacht Britannia. It marked the end of the waterfront precinct's industrial past (it was once known as Kings Wharf) and the beginning of an embrace of tourism and recreation. The Queens Wharf's opening was arguably the highlight of the British monarch's fourth and final visit to Newcastle. Marty Adnum, the managing director of Newcastle marketing agency Out Of The Square, was among the crowd at Queens Wharf as a 19-year-old when the Queen opened the building. He said for several decades, the precinct served the city well. "In the early days, it was our first on-water eating experience," Mr Adnum said. "Going back to then, it was a great benefit to us. But we've evolved so much as a city." For the next 30 years, the Queens Wharf white building served as a meeting place for Novocastrians and visitors. Its spectacular views of the harbour across to Stockton and Nobbys Lighthouse guarantee a prime position in any tourist's itinerary. It also became a popular dining precinct and hosted weddings and corporate functions, and offered a prime vantage spot for the harbour's New Year's Eve fireworks. The Queens Wharf building's most infamous section, the phallic-shaped observation tower, was demolished in 2018 due to its lack of wheelchair access and $1.6 million maintenance bill. Countless Novocastrians climbed the Queens Wharf Tower's 180 steps across three decades, but Newcastle Herald columnist Paul Scott reflected in a 2021 editorial that it was hardly remembered with nostalgia. "Whenever I smell the stale stench of urine in the empty shop fronts of Hunter Street - which is most days - I recall the QWT," Scott wrote. Then interim City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath was also pleased to see the 30-metre structure chopped in 2018. "There really is no other way to describe the Queens Wharf Tower other than as an embarrassment to the city," Mr Bath said. "I look forward to not having to answer the inevitable question of 'why' from guests and visitors when they first see the tower." In typical Novocastrian fashion, the tower didn't come down with a whimper. The tower was immortalised as a bottle opener in 2018 with the words "what goes up must come down" by Out Of The Square. Almost 3000 bottle openers were sold, raising $22,193 for the Hunter Prostate Cancer Alliance. Mr Adnum said the infamous tower still holds a quirky place in the hearts of Novocastrians. "They sold like hot cakes," he said. "As much as it's the whole penis-tower thing, it's fondly remembered." The rest of the Queens Wharf building continued for another two years before a fire broke out in the kitchen of bar and restaurant Six Degrees in May 2020. Since then, the once-proud entertainment hotspot has been left to rack and ruin. The Newcastle Herald revealed last October that squatters had moved in, and the building was abandoned to graffiti, broken windows, and rubbish. The City of Newcastle last week invited the community to provide their feedback on the future redevelopment of the Queens Wharf building, which has sparked many conversations about the precinct. Whatever the future holds, its prime position in the heart of Newcastle Harbour will continue to fascinate locals and visitors alike. As far as grand openings go, Queens Wharf enjoyed an auspicious welcome into the world. Queen Elizabeth II opened the harbourside building on Saturday, May 7, 1988, alongside her husband, Prince Philip, after sailing overnight from Sydney on the Royal Yacht Britannia. It marked the end of the waterfront precinct's industrial past (it was once known as Kings Wharf) and the beginning of an embrace of tourism and recreation. The Queens Wharf's opening was arguably the highlight of the British monarch's fourth and final visit to Newcastle. Marty Adnum, the managing director of Newcastle marketing agency Out Of The Square, was among the crowd at Queens Wharf as a 19-year-old when the Queen opened the building. He said for several decades, the precinct served the city well. "In the early days, it was our first on-water eating experience," Mr Adnum said. "Going back to then, it was a great benefit to us. But we've evolved so much as a city." For the next 30 years, the Queens Wharf white building served as a meeting place for Novocastrians and visitors. Its spectacular views of the harbour across to Stockton and Nobbys Lighthouse guarantee a prime position in any tourist's itinerary. It also became a popular dining precinct and hosted weddings and corporate functions, and offered a prime vantage spot for the harbour's New Year's Eve fireworks. The Queens Wharf building's most infamous section, the phallic-shaped observation tower, was demolished in 2018 due to its lack of wheelchair access and $1.6 million maintenance bill. Countless Novocastrians climbed the Queens Wharf Tower's 180 steps across three decades, but Newcastle Herald columnist Paul Scott reflected in a 2021 editorial that it was hardly remembered with nostalgia. "Whenever I smell the stale stench of urine in the empty shop fronts of Hunter Street - which is most days - I recall the QWT," Scott wrote. Then interim City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath was also pleased to see the 30-metre structure chopped in 2018. "There really is no other way to describe the Queens Wharf Tower other than as an embarrassment to the city," Mr Bath said. "I look forward to not having to answer the inevitable question of 'why' from guests and visitors when they first see the tower." In typical Novocastrian fashion, the tower didn't come down with a whimper. The tower was immortalised as a bottle opener in 2018 with the words "what goes up must come down" by Out Of The Square. Almost 3000 bottle openers were sold, raising $22,193 for the Hunter Prostate Cancer Alliance. Mr Adnum said the infamous tower still holds a quirky place in the hearts of Novocastrians. "They sold like hot cakes," he said. "As much as it's the whole penis-tower thing, it's fondly remembered." The rest of the Queens Wharf building continued for another two years before a fire broke out in the kitchen of bar and restaurant Six Degrees in May 2020. Since then, the once-proud entertainment hotspot has been left to rack and ruin. The Newcastle Herald revealed last October that squatters had moved in, and the building was abandoned to graffiti, broken windows, and rubbish. The City of Newcastle last week invited the community to provide their feedback on the future redevelopment of the Queens Wharf building, which has sparked many conversations about the precinct. Whatever the future holds, its prime position in the heart of Newcastle Harbour will continue to fascinate locals and visitors alike. As far as grand openings go, Queens Wharf enjoyed an auspicious welcome into the world. Queen Elizabeth II opened the harbourside building on Saturday, May 7, 1988, alongside her husband, Prince Philip, after sailing overnight from Sydney on the Royal Yacht Britannia. It marked the end of the waterfront precinct's industrial past (it was once known as Kings Wharf) and the beginning of an embrace of tourism and recreation. The Queens Wharf's opening was arguably the highlight of the British monarch's fourth and final visit to Newcastle. Marty Adnum, the managing director of Newcastle marketing agency Out Of The Square, was among the crowd at Queens Wharf as a 19-year-old when the Queen opened the building. He said for several decades, the precinct served the city well. "In the early days, it was our first on-water eating experience," Mr Adnum said. "Going back to then, it was a great benefit to us. But we've evolved so much as a city." For the next 30 years, the Queens Wharf white building served as a meeting place for Novocastrians and visitors. Its spectacular views of the harbour across to Stockton and Nobbys Lighthouse guarantee a prime position in any tourist's itinerary. It also became a popular dining precinct and hosted weddings and corporate functions, and offered a prime vantage spot for the harbour's New Year's Eve fireworks. The Queens Wharf building's most infamous section, the phallic-shaped observation tower, was demolished in 2018 due to its lack of wheelchair access and $1.6 million maintenance bill. Countless Novocastrians climbed the Queens Wharf Tower's 180 steps across three decades, but Newcastle Herald columnist Paul Scott reflected in a 2021 editorial that it was hardly remembered with nostalgia. "Whenever I smell the stale stench of urine in the empty shop fronts of Hunter Street - which is most days - I recall the QWT," Scott wrote. Then interim City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath was also pleased to see the 30-metre structure chopped in 2018. "There really is no other way to describe the Queens Wharf Tower other than as an embarrassment to the city," Mr Bath said. "I look forward to not having to answer the inevitable question of 'why' from guests and visitors when they first see the tower." In typical Novocastrian fashion, the tower didn't come down with a whimper. The tower was immortalised as a bottle opener in 2018 with the words "what goes up must come down" by Out Of The Square. Almost 3000 bottle openers were sold, raising $22,193 for the Hunter Prostate Cancer Alliance. Mr Adnum said the infamous tower still holds a quirky place in the hearts of Novocastrians. "They sold like hot cakes," he said. "As much as it's the whole penis-tower thing, it's fondly remembered." The rest of the Queens Wharf building continued for another two years before a fire broke out in the kitchen of bar and restaurant Six Degrees in May 2020. Since then, the once-proud entertainment hotspot has been left to rack and ruin. The Newcastle Herald revealed last October that squatters had moved in, and the building was abandoned to graffiti, broken windows, and rubbish. The City of Newcastle last week invited the community to provide their feedback on the future redevelopment of the Queens Wharf building, which has sparked many conversations about the precinct. Whatever the future holds, its prime position in the heart of Newcastle Harbour will continue to fascinate locals and visitors alike. As far as grand openings go, Queens Wharf enjoyed an auspicious welcome into the world. Queen Elizabeth II opened the harbourside building on Saturday, May 7, 1988, alongside her husband, Prince Philip, after sailing overnight from Sydney on the Royal Yacht Britannia. It marked the end of the waterfront precinct's industrial past (it was once known as Kings Wharf) and the beginning of an embrace of tourism and recreation. The Queens Wharf's opening was arguably the highlight of the British monarch's fourth and final visit to Newcastle. Marty Adnum, the managing director of Newcastle marketing agency Out Of The Square, was among the crowd at Queens Wharf as a 19-year-old when the Queen opened the building. He said for several decades, the precinct served the city well. "In the early days, it was our first on-water eating experience," Mr Adnum said. "Going back to then, it was a great benefit to us. But we've evolved so much as a city." For the next 30 years, the Queens Wharf white building served as a meeting place for Novocastrians and visitors. Its spectacular views of the harbour across to Stockton and Nobbys Lighthouse guarantee a prime position in any tourist's itinerary. It also became a popular dining precinct and hosted weddings and corporate functions, and offered a prime vantage spot for the harbour's New Year's Eve fireworks. The Queens Wharf building's most infamous section, the phallic-shaped observation tower, was demolished in 2018 due to its lack of wheelchair access and $1.6 million maintenance bill. Countless Novocastrians climbed the Queens Wharf Tower's 180 steps across three decades, but Newcastle Herald columnist Paul Scott reflected in a 2021 editorial that it was hardly remembered with nostalgia. "Whenever I smell the stale stench of urine in the empty shop fronts of Hunter Street - which is most days - I recall the QWT," Scott wrote. Then interim City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath was also pleased to see the 30-metre structure chopped in 2018. "There really is no other way to describe the Queens Wharf Tower other than as an embarrassment to the city," Mr Bath said. "I look forward to not having to answer the inevitable question of 'why' from guests and visitors when they first see the tower." In typical Novocastrian fashion, the tower didn't come down with a whimper. The tower was immortalised as a bottle opener in 2018 with the words "what goes up must come down" by Out Of The Square. Almost 3000 bottle openers were sold, raising $22,193 for the Hunter Prostate Cancer Alliance. Mr Adnum said the infamous tower still holds a quirky place in the hearts of Novocastrians. "They sold like hot cakes," he said. "As much as it's the whole penis-tower thing, it's fondly remembered." The rest of the Queens Wharf building continued for another two years before a fire broke out in the kitchen of bar and restaurant Six Degrees in May 2020. Since then, the once-proud entertainment hotspot has been left to rack and ruin. The Newcastle Herald revealed last October that squatters had moved in, and the building was abandoned to graffiti, broken windows, and rubbish. The City of Newcastle last week invited the community to provide their feedback on the future redevelopment of the Queens Wharf building, which has sparked many conversations about the precinct. Whatever the future holds, its prime position in the heart of Newcastle Harbour will continue to fascinate locals and visitors alike.
The Advertiser
12 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Sydney to Newcastle in one hour: is the High Speed Rail on track?
With a motorway and railway line nearing capacity, High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker believes there is only one clear solution. Speaking to a Newcastle crowd on August 13, Mr Parker said the proposed East Coast high-speed rail would help alleviate travel woes between NSW's two largest cities. "Everyone in this corridor has an M1 story, none of them a very good one," Mr Parker said. The federal government is reviewing the High Speed Rail Authority's business case for a Sydney to Newcastle route, the first stage of a network that would span from Melbourne to Brisbane. Mr Parker said they were refining the business case and hoping for a decision from the government by the end of the year. Once the business case was reviewed, Mr Parker said the next stage was to get tenders from builders and rail supply, likely in about two years or so. The CEO estimated the build period to take between 10 to 12 years. Modelling shows travel time between Sydney and Newcastle would be one hour, with Newcastle to Brisbane at three hours, and Newcastle to Melbourne at five hours. In March, the Newcastle Herald reported that the authority estimated the Newcastle to Sydney link could be built by 2037 if the government provided sufficient backing. There has been no formal costing, although similar projects overseas have cost between $16 million and $110 a kilometre. The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January that modelling for the previous state Coalition government's fast rail proposal estimated it would be between $27 billion and $32 billion from Sydney Olympic Park to Tuggerah. On Thursday evening, Mr Parker said as well as delivering the business case to the government in December 2024, they had delivered a product definition report about the types of trains needed. He said the for-purpose high-speed trains would travel 320 kmh on a dedicated line, meaning fewer delays. He said the new service would have 98 per cent reliability. "It is not a metro or suburban line, it is a competitor to the airlines," he said. The CEO said the fares would be "competitive" with the unsubsidised Sydney train fares and the Newcastle to Sydney Greyhound buses. He said initially they were hoping they would run four trains every hour, but ultimately run 12 trains an hour between Sydney and Melbourne and eight trains an hour between Sydney and Brisbane. They were thinking of building eight-car trains with a capacity of 500 seats, he said. Mr Parker said they planned to build an advanced manufacturing facility to develop components for the rail line off-site. The project would hopefully incorporate a local manufacturing focus alongside international expertise, he said. One of the biggest challenges of the long-term project was topographical and building around national parks, he said. "We will have to develop this environmentally sensitively," he said. He said while they did not have a definitive list of stations yet, they had looked very closely at Broadmeadow. "This should be a long-term commitment with bipartisan support," Mr Parker said. "Hopefully, both sides of politics would understand that it is good for the country and get behind it." With a motorway and railway line nearing capacity, High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker believes there is only one clear solution. Speaking to a Newcastle crowd on August 13, Mr Parker said the proposed East Coast high-speed rail would help alleviate travel woes between NSW's two largest cities. "Everyone in this corridor has an M1 story, none of them a very good one," Mr Parker said. The federal government is reviewing the High Speed Rail Authority's business case for a Sydney to Newcastle route, the first stage of a network that would span from Melbourne to Brisbane. Mr Parker said they were refining the business case and hoping for a decision from the government by the end of the year. Once the business case was reviewed, Mr Parker said the next stage was to get tenders from builders and rail supply, likely in about two years or so. The CEO estimated the build period to take between 10 to 12 years. Modelling shows travel time between Sydney and Newcastle would be one hour, with Newcastle to Brisbane at three hours, and Newcastle to Melbourne at five hours. In March, the Newcastle Herald reported that the authority estimated the Newcastle to Sydney link could be built by 2037 if the government provided sufficient backing. There has been no formal costing, although similar projects overseas have cost between $16 million and $110 a kilometre. The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January that modelling for the previous state Coalition government's fast rail proposal estimated it would be between $27 billion and $32 billion from Sydney Olympic Park to Tuggerah. On Thursday evening, Mr Parker said as well as delivering the business case to the government in December 2024, they had delivered a product definition report about the types of trains needed. He said the for-purpose high-speed trains would travel 320 kmh on a dedicated line, meaning fewer delays. He said the new service would have 98 per cent reliability. "It is not a metro or suburban line, it is a competitor to the airlines," he said. The CEO said the fares would be "competitive" with the unsubsidised Sydney train fares and the Newcastle to Sydney Greyhound buses. He said initially they were hoping they would run four trains every hour, but ultimately run 12 trains an hour between Sydney and Melbourne and eight trains an hour between Sydney and Brisbane. They were thinking of building eight-car trains with a capacity of 500 seats, he said. Mr Parker said they planned to build an advanced manufacturing facility to develop components for the rail line off-site. The project would hopefully incorporate a local manufacturing focus alongside international expertise, he said. One of the biggest challenges of the long-term project was topographical and building around national parks, he said. "We will have to develop this environmentally sensitively," he said. He said while they did not have a definitive list of stations yet, they had looked very closely at Broadmeadow. "This should be a long-term commitment with bipartisan support," Mr Parker said. "Hopefully, both sides of politics would understand that it is good for the country and get behind it." With a motorway and railway line nearing capacity, High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker believes there is only one clear solution. Speaking to a Newcastle crowd on August 13, Mr Parker said the proposed East Coast high-speed rail would help alleviate travel woes between NSW's two largest cities. "Everyone in this corridor has an M1 story, none of them a very good one," Mr Parker said. The federal government is reviewing the High Speed Rail Authority's business case for a Sydney to Newcastle route, the first stage of a network that would span from Melbourne to Brisbane. Mr Parker said they were refining the business case and hoping for a decision from the government by the end of the year. Once the business case was reviewed, Mr Parker said the next stage was to get tenders from builders and rail supply, likely in about two years or so. The CEO estimated the build period to take between 10 to 12 years. Modelling shows travel time between Sydney and Newcastle would be one hour, with Newcastle to Brisbane at three hours, and Newcastle to Melbourne at five hours. In March, the Newcastle Herald reported that the authority estimated the Newcastle to Sydney link could be built by 2037 if the government provided sufficient backing. There has been no formal costing, although similar projects overseas have cost between $16 million and $110 a kilometre. The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January that modelling for the previous state Coalition government's fast rail proposal estimated it would be between $27 billion and $32 billion from Sydney Olympic Park to Tuggerah. On Thursday evening, Mr Parker said as well as delivering the business case to the government in December 2024, they had delivered a product definition report about the types of trains needed. He said the for-purpose high-speed trains would travel 320 kmh on a dedicated line, meaning fewer delays. He said the new service would have 98 per cent reliability. "It is not a metro or suburban line, it is a competitor to the airlines," he said. The CEO said the fares would be "competitive" with the unsubsidised Sydney train fares and the Newcastle to Sydney Greyhound buses. He said initially they were hoping they would run four trains every hour, but ultimately run 12 trains an hour between Sydney and Melbourne and eight trains an hour between Sydney and Brisbane. They were thinking of building eight-car trains with a capacity of 500 seats, he said. Mr Parker said they planned to build an advanced manufacturing facility to develop components for the rail line off-site. The project would hopefully incorporate a local manufacturing focus alongside international expertise, he said. One of the biggest challenges of the long-term project was topographical and building around national parks, he said. "We will have to develop this environmentally sensitively," he said. He said while they did not have a definitive list of stations yet, they had looked very closely at Broadmeadow. "This should be a long-term commitment with bipartisan support," Mr Parker said. "Hopefully, both sides of politics would understand that it is good for the country and get behind it." With a motorway and railway line nearing capacity, High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker believes there is only one clear solution. Speaking to a Newcastle crowd on August 13, Mr Parker said the proposed East Coast high-speed rail would help alleviate travel woes between NSW's two largest cities. "Everyone in this corridor has an M1 story, none of them a very good one," Mr Parker said. The federal government is reviewing the High Speed Rail Authority's business case for a Sydney to Newcastle route, the first stage of a network that would span from Melbourne to Brisbane. Mr Parker said they were refining the business case and hoping for a decision from the government by the end of the year. Once the business case was reviewed, Mr Parker said the next stage was to get tenders from builders and rail supply, likely in about two years or so. The CEO estimated the build period to take between 10 to 12 years. Modelling shows travel time between Sydney and Newcastle would be one hour, with Newcastle to Brisbane at three hours, and Newcastle to Melbourne at five hours. In March, the Newcastle Herald reported that the authority estimated the Newcastle to Sydney link could be built by 2037 if the government provided sufficient backing. There has been no formal costing, although similar projects overseas have cost between $16 million and $110 a kilometre. The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January that modelling for the previous state Coalition government's fast rail proposal estimated it would be between $27 billion and $32 billion from Sydney Olympic Park to Tuggerah. On Thursday evening, Mr Parker said as well as delivering the business case to the government in December 2024, they had delivered a product definition report about the types of trains needed. He said the for-purpose high-speed trains would travel 320 kmh on a dedicated line, meaning fewer delays. He said the new service would have 98 per cent reliability. "It is not a metro or suburban line, it is a competitor to the airlines," he said. The CEO said the fares would be "competitive" with the unsubsidised Sydney train fares and the Newcastle to Sydney Greyhound buses. He said initially they were hoping they would run four trains every hour, but ultimately run 12 trains an hour between Sydney and Melbourne and eight trains an hour between Sydney and Brisbane. They were thinking of building eight-car trains with a capacity of 500 seats, he said. Mr Parker said they planned to build an advanced manufacturing facility to develop components for the rail line off-site. The project would hopefully incorporate a local manufacturing focus alongside international expertise, he said. One of the biggest challenges of the long-term project was topographical and building around national parks, he said. "We will have to develop this environmentally sensitively," he said. He said while they did not have a definitive list of stations yet, they had looked very closely at Broadmeadow. "This should be a long-term commitment with bipartisan support," Mr Parker said. "Hopefully, both sides of politics would understand that it is good for the country and get behind it."
Sky News AU
4 days ago
- Sky News AU
Nationals Senator Matt Canavan mocks green crusade of Australia's largest aluminium smelter which resulted in likely collapse of mammoth facility
Nationals Senator Matt Canavan has mocked the green energy crusade of Rio Tinto-owned Tomago aluminium smelting facility, which has now forced it to its knees. In early June Rio Tinto-owned Tomago facility, Australia's biggest aluminium producer, was seeking billions of dollars in public funds to avert collapse as energy costs plagued local industry. The NSW government confirmed it was in discussions to stave off the potential collapse of the mammoth smelter as it struggled with crippling power bills and poor availability of renewable energy, with Mr Minns stressing the facility was a strategically important asset for both the state and the country. However, Tomago smelter workers were informed on Monday that the facility would be forced to close its doors in 2028 or sooner unless a new affordable energy contract was negotiated with the assistance of both the state and federal governments. Queensland Nationals Senator Matt Canavan posted a side-by-side panel to X of a 2021 report outlining Tomago's push to switch to a predominantly renewable based power supply by 2029, and the Newcastle Herald's article citing the facilities imminent failure with the caption, 'how it started … how it is going.' In a statement to Mr Canavan railed against the Albanese government's renewable energy agenda and said the policy was driving the nation's industrial and manufacturing base into the ground. 'Soaring power prices from Labor's failing net zero ideology is bringing Australian manufacturing to its knees,' Senator Canavan said. He said that unless energy prices eased, Tomago would join a long list of large-scale industrial facilities nationwide that would shut down for good. 'Tomago, our nation's largest aluminium smelter, joins manufacturers from right around the nation in shutting unless energy costs come down,' Senator Canavan said. 'Net zero is just not working." The producer is located north of Newcastle, uses about 10 per cent of NSW's power supply and makes about 37 per cent of Australia's primary aluminium. The collapse of the massive company could lead to more than 1,000 people losing their jobs, while 5,000 indirect workers could also suffer as a result. Smelter workers were told by management on Monday that the facilities closure was not a matter of 'if, but when' due to sharp power price rises, according to the Newcastle Herald. The owners of the facility - the smelter is also part owned by CSR and Hydro Aluminium - have been conducting direct negotiations with NSW Premier Chris Minns and federal authorities to secure a lifeline believed to be in the billions, with the bailout set to be more complex than simply a direct government subsidy. Rio Tinto's Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm earlier this year flagged concerns about the producer's electricity costs, as he warned power price contracts beyond 2028 would render Tomago unviable. Premier Minns said in early June that it was 'difficult to speculate about what next steps are' with the NSW government facing calls from unions and industry groups to safeguard the facility's future. However, the Albanese government has pushed ahead with its plan to move the country's $5.1 billion aluminium industry onto a renewable energy grid to meet its target of lowering emissions by 43 per cent by 2030. In January the Prime Minister pledged to provide $2 billion in production taxation credits for Australia's four largest aluminium smelters to aid in the renewable energy transition.
