Inland Rail Project Cost Blowout

In a classic example of politicians (from the previous national government) prioritizing "media PR stunts" over planning and due diligence, the cost of Australia's Inland Rail Project, a 1,700km freight line connecting the cities of Melbourne and Brisbane, has now blown out to $AU31 billion ($US20.7 billion) from an estimated $AU16.7 billion ($US11.2 billion) in just 2 years.

This fiasco has been revealed in a report commissioned by the current national government that was released a few days ago.

The previous government started the project in 2018 without any idea of where, in Melbourne, it would commence and where, in Brisbane, it would terminate. It was rushed through the approval process largely because of a national election due in 2019. It is scheduled to be completed in 2027.

The report labelled poor planning and lack of expertise on the part of the planners, as major reasons for the blowout. The current government has confirmed that it will complete the project.

A news report is available at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04...-cost-blowout-31-billion-artc-board/102186114

Good to know it is not just the California High Speed Rail board that make these quality decisions.

Common element - crooked political class skimming $$$.
Plus, they really have no interest in their job, just their political "freeride" future.
Every country is plagued with these lice.

boleyd said:

Common element - crooked political class skimming $$$.
Plus, they really have no interest in their job, just their political "freeride" future.
Every country is plagued with these lice.

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That's not the problem here Dick, The previous Liberal (conservative right wing) government were just inept and yes men for the coal lobby. They had no interest in big national infrastructure projects, especially those that didn't benefit their fossil fuel industry mates. They were in power for 10 years and it will take almost that long to clean up the mess they left. That is mostly the reason why the federal and most state governments are now run by the Labor party (left wing). Our current opposition leader, seems to believe that nay saying is what defines being in opposition, rather than coming up with proper beneficial policy.
Peter Dutton, the opposition leader, is a dead ringer for Mr Potato Head in both looks and values

Unfortunately the Australian Labor Party are just as idiotic and unable to finish great projects. Here in Victoria we have a despotic premier who now is putting away the promised City to Airport rail project. He has run out of other people's money, as socialists are bound to do. There is also talk of the Melbourne to Geelong fast rail project being put on hold too. Politicians of all sides absolute morons.

I never intended this thread to become a political bun fight.

I will state that in the past we have had leaders at the national and state levels from both sides of politics who were visionaries and great reformers. We have also had others who were "shonks", despots and even outright crooks - I could list quite a few of the latter.

These days nation building seems to take last place compared to grabbing and retaining power.

My thoughts.

pware said:

I never intended this thread to become a political bun fight.

I will state that in the past we have had leaders at the national and state levels from both sides of politics who were visionaries and great reformers. We have also had others who were "shonks", despots and even outright crooks - I could list quite a few of the latter.

These days nation building seems to take last place compared to grabbing and retaining power.

My thoughts.

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You are quite correct, I didn't mean to make it political. In a football parlance then, I dislike it when my "team" takes their eye off the ball and gets shirt-fronted then has to go off with concussion.