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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 4 Hansard (10 April) . . Page.. 903 ..

MS DUNDAS (continuing):

The federal government, however, continues to promote road transport, without giving equal consideration to rail, which is both cost effective and fuel efficient. A very fast train would provide a means to reduce the congested air traffic in Sydney and would have a positive economic impact on Canberra by making our city more accessible to both business and tourism.

The decision to stop any further investigation into the very fast train link is a short-sighted move by the federal government and will further hinder Australia's developing fast, efficient and energy efficient transport infrastructure for sustainable development in this country.

MR QUINLAN (Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Business and Tourism, Minister for Sport, Racing and Gaming and Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Corrections) (12.19): It has been pointed out that there have been significant changes in the dynamics of air travel and possibly the costs of air travel since any real work was done on the VFT proposal. It is therefore highly probable that the whole costing model of the VFT proposal has changed, had it still been alive. That is largely the import of what Mr Hargreaves has suggested. The times, they are a-changin'. As a function of the changing times, it may well be that this particular project has a different bottom line, or potential bottom line, than it had before.

Whether I am disagreeing with Kim Beazley or not, it does offer regional developmental opportunities for Australia. It could not be less cost effective than the Adelaide to Darwin railway line which, for reasons we probably should not delve into, because we do not the time for that, still seems to get Commonwealth support.

I accept Mr Humphries' bipartisan support, which was followed by his totally partisan address. I would just like to make one comment without listing all the usual suspects. I have not heard the New South Wales opposition supporting the VFT, but then you do not hear a lot from the New South Wales opposition, except when there is an occasional leadership change.

Amongst the benefits that might flow would be benefits to the ACT. There is a chronic need for us to diversify our economy away from our heavy dependence upon the public sector and upon the government dollar. Much is said about the change in the ACT, but in other times in this place I have been able to produce figures to show that the change in dependence on the public dollar between now and 12 or 13 years ago has been very little, as measured by the base numbers for gross state final demand

In our economy we need to build beyond our dependence upon both local government to a minor extent and the federal government to a great extent. The train coming into and through Canberra and the development of Canberra as a transport centre would make a considerable contribution to that process. It would allow product at least to pass through this town, and if product does pass through this town then there well may be opportunities to develop manufacturing and fabrication industries that are totally independent of the doings within government and government budgets.

I support the motion, and I think it ought to be communicated to the federal government.

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