Re: NT chief warns of rail project collapse

[Tell <telljb@ozemail.com.au>]

Yes it is dodgy.  If the Alice Springs to Darwin
railway was everything that the "promoters" claim it to
be, I would reckon that private capital would have been
falling over themselves to build it, of course it has
not happened, for some very "economical" reasons.

When Hawke/Keating were in charge of the taxpayers
money they did everything to STOP any "silly notions"
of a north/south transcontinental, they sent SRA honcho
David what-is-name up here, even had Nifty Nev a former
NSW Premier up here to advise a railway was not on.

The present lot in Canberra are not intersted either.

....Tell
 


>mauried@tpg.com.au (Maurie Daly) wrote:
>
> > On Tue, 30 Jan 2001 02:18:52 GMT, dbromage@fang.omni.com.au (David
> >Bromage) wrote:
> 
> >One of the key players in the Alice Springs-Darwin rail line project says
> >it could collapse within two weeks unless new investors are found to cover
> >a $70 million shortfall. Northern Territory Chief Minister Denis Burke
> >warned yesterday of "a major problem" if the funding could not be found.
> >
> >http://www.theadvertiser.com.au/common/story_page/0,4511,1659868%255E2682,00.html
> 
> 
> Does anyone find this explanation a bit dodgy?
> If by the above , we are led to beleive that the Consortium has raised
> $630 M out of the $700 M , ie the project is just $70 M short ,then
> why not simply go ahead with the project but re design part of the
> project so that it costs less.
> For example , based on the consortiums figures ,if the line was laid
> with 47 KG/M rail , instead of the planned 60 KG/M rail ,then the
> saving in costs would be around $85 M , more than the shortfall.
> There would be other ways to save money as well, eg less crossing
> loops.
> Tarcoola to AP is only 47 KG/M ,so we dont lose much operational
> flexibilty.
> 
> MD
>