VFT Article

["Tezza" <tezza2000@dingoblue.net.au>]

>From the Macarthur Advertiser letters to the editor:

Making the numbers work

    L. Warren rightly condemns the Badgerys Creek EIS as being
"over-optimistic" in its predictions (Advertiser letters, October 4).
    This neatly shows that "in-depth studies" for proposals should be regarded
with some suspicion.
    Look at the Ord River Scheme, the Collins submarines, Parliament House,
Canberra, Sydney Airport's third runway, and a tollway or two: these are just
some of the projects that have fallen seriously below expectation or have
blown out their budget, or both.
    What of their in-depth studies?
    We make no apology for "a few simple sums" applied to the high speed train
proposal, even though Leon Warren dismisses them in favour of a nice thick
report called an "in-depth study" or "verifiable research."
    Our little exercises in arithmetic go to the heart of serious questions
about where the passengers are to be found in sufficient numbers and where the
money is to come from.
    If these questions can't be simply answered, there will be no secure
revenue and therefore no backers will put up finance.
    Emboldened by the result of our elementary sums, we are going to take up
elementary economics, excited as we are by the newly discovered Law of
Conservation of OPM (Other People's Money).
    The Speedrail proposal was mandated to cost the public nothing, we
remember, but they have so far got an offer of $600million in freebies out of
the NSW Government and may be hunting for more.
    Perhaps they are themselves having some trouble getting the add-ups to
come out right.
    If we are being drawn into public funding for the very fast train perhaps
we should rather take a fresh look at renewal of conventional rail, which can
take heavy freight, too.
    In a future where high fuel prices may be a permanent feature, this may be
the wiser track to take.

ROD HIBBERD
Australian Surface Transport Advisory Committee.

The Leo Warren reffered to is in charge of the anti-airport mob.

--
TEZZA

"And isn't sanity really just a one trick pony anyway? I mean
all you get is one trick, rational thinking, but when
you're good and crazy, oooh oooh oooh, the sky is the
limit!"-The Tick