Re: New rail date soon.!

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

On Thu, 11 Jan 2001 22:15:32 +0930, Tell <just@hate.spammers.com>
wrote:

>No, Stage 1 has the approach channel and turning basin
>dredged *initially* to minus 12m chart datum (12 metres
>of water at the LOWEST astronomical tide).
>The bulk liquids wharf will be minus 14m and the
>general purpose wharf will be 13m.
>
>Yes, access charges will play a large part in the
>success or otherwise of the rail project.
>
>....Tell
>
>
The access charging regime is based on a system called competitive
imputation,which AFAIK is not used anywhere else in Australia.
This system seeks to set an access charge which is based on the
equivalent charge of the alternative form of competetive transport ,
ie what the road freight industry charges.
This sounds good , but it doesnt seem to make any provision for
providing enuf revenue to ensure that all the loans necessary to pay
for the railway in the first place can be paid back.
Given also that unlike other BOOT projects in Australia like the
Sydney Airport line ,the major road projects like Citylink in Vic and
the toll roads in Sydney, which are all Govt guaranteed, ie there is
no risk to the financiers, in the AP to darwin project there are no
Govt guarantees,so any financier carries enormous risk.
Might explain why the consortium is having trouble finding some one to
put up the money.

MD