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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 13 Hansard (2 December) . . Page.. 4328 ..

MR OSBORNE (continuing):

Mr Speaker, I would like to go out on a limb a little bit here and say that I believe that the best way that a high speed train link will work for Canberra is if it is exactly that - a high speed train. We had some submissions from different consortia who are in the process of dealing with the Federal Government, I believe, about whether or not they will be successful. Having listened to all of them bar one - the ones who did not appear were the people from Maglev - I have to say that my views, which I think were aired in a joint statement with Mr Kaine and Mr Moore about 12 months ago, that the committee's preferred train was the Maglev, have not changed. Whether it is the Maglev or the Speedrail, I think that the way this will be successful is if we do create a link between Sydney and Canberra which is very quick. Having listened to the other organisations who were proposing different forms of Tilt-train technology, I think that if that proposal were to be successful - as I said, I am going out on a limb - the service would not be utilised as much as a high speed train service would be.

However, having said that, I think that the Tilt-train people were perhaps a little bit more realistic in the amount of money that they say needs to be spent to keep it financially viable. I discussed this with Mr Budd outside the committee hearing. I still think that they are pretty optimistic, but he seemed to be quite confident. Nevertheless, I am sure that that will be revealed in the next 12 months. As I said, Mr Speaker, I do believe very firmly that this train, if it is a high speed train, will be a tremendous boost for the region. I thank the other members of the committee and our secretary, Beth Irvin, for once again doing a great job on the report. I, along with the other members, commend the report to the Assembly.

MR CORBELL (6.19): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to speak again, briefly.

Leave granted.

MR CORBELL: I thank members. In my comments earlier, I did neglect - and it was most forgetful of me - to also thank the committee secretary, Beth Irvin, for her assistance during this inquiry. I think, without her comprehensive and ever-efficient work, we would not be where we are today. I thank her very much for that. I am also grateful for the cooperation of my colleagues, Mr Osborne and Mr Hird, in producing a unanimous and, I think, very effective report.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

MR MOORE (6.20): Mr Speaker, I present Report No. 39 of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment, entitled "Revised Draft Variation to the Territory Plan (No. 82): Proposed Area Specific Policy B11 and B12 North Canberra and Appendix III.3 Urban Housing Code", together with a copy of the extracts of the minutes of proceedings. This report was provided to the Speaker for circulation on Friday, 28 November 1997, pursuant to the resolution of appointment.

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