Re: Westrail Freight sale

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

In article <394c27b0@pink.one.net.au> "tony bailey" <mercuryworldtvl@one.net.au> writes:
>From: "tony bailey" <mercuryworldtvl@one.net.au>
>Subject: Re: Westrail Freight sale
>Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2000 11:38:12 +1000

>Maurie-

>Is there anything in the WA terms that prevents the new owner on-selling the
>system? (This would be very hard to prevent!)

>Tony Bailey


>Maurie Daly wrote in message ...

>>
>>The only way Freightcorp or QR have any hope in hell in getting Westrail is
>if
>>they are privatised first,and theres no chance of that happening.
>>
>>MD
>>
>>


Theoritically no , but remember what is exactly being sold.
The buyer is getting the locos and rollingstock and a 50 year lease on the 
tracks.
The only thing that the buyer could on sell is the locos and rollingstock.
(This is the only thing they actually own.)
On selling the lease on the tracks would still require the approval of the 
track owner , ie the WA Govt.
If for example the new buyer on sold the locos and rollingstock to QR for 
example,which I beleive they could do,then when QR tried to operate in WA 
they would run into the WA track access regime which is controlled by the WA 
Govt . 
ie we have a similar scenerio in WA as currently exists in VIC,where owning a 
track access lease doesnt seem to be worth the paper its written on ,as the 
incumbent Govt can still legislate to change the lease rules .

These Rail privatizations are really pretty mickey mouse ,in that the 
incumbent Govts still exercise real control.
A real privatization would include selling the tracks as well.

MD