Aftermath of Speedrail decision.

[mauried@tpg.com.au (Maurie Daly)]

Just as a matter of interest I had a look at the letters to the editor
and the editorial comment in the local paper re the Speedrail
cancellation.

Surprisingly / maybe not surprisingly there were more letters
congratulating Howard for canning what was widely seen as a 
"Pie in the Sky Project" which would benefit only a small portion of
the population.

The editorials were the same , back again totally pushing Mag lev over
what they call outdated rail technology,(steel wheels on rails).
Any journalist with ever half a brain should be able to figue out that
a country with only 18 Million people will never be able to afford a
mag lev from Melb to Brisbane.
I dount that even the USA could afford a 2000 KM mag lev train
anywhere.

The real problem though is that largely,joe average voter is simply
not interested in hi speed rail, and this means that the feds arnt
interested in it either, no matter what studies get undertaken.
Until petrol for cars is around $2 a litre or more , rail is simply
not relevant to most people in this country.

MD