<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/australias-high-speed-rail-ambitions-could-be-funded-through-an-aviation-fuel-excise/>
"Australia has contemplated high speed rail (HSR) for over 40 years. CSIRO
produced a high level proposal in 1984 titled “A Fast railway between Sydney,
Canberra and Melbourne”. Since then, feasibility studies for an east coast HSR
service have been completed in 2001, 2013, and recently by the High Speed Rail
Authority.
Unfortunately, HSR is synonymous with the kind of high capital cost
infrastructure which seems to paralyse governments in Australia. The Federal
Government’s High Speed Rail Authority is investigating a short Sydney to
Newcastle route as a first step in building a Brisbane to Melbourne route.
Australia has shied away from HSR mainly over the capital costs, but additional
government revenue sources could help pay for the construction. We suggest a
simple way to at least partially fund high speed rail through eliminating the
excise relief given to the aviation industry."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
