Re: National Rail Taskforce

["Andrew Honan" <ahonan@wr.com.au>]

The feds say they will respond to all three (Neville, PC and Smorgon)
reports after the final productivity commission (PC) report comes down in
August.

I don't know what NSW thinks about it all. Some parts of the NSW rail
industry weren't happy about the PC's draft recommendations that vertical
integration has merit (a la FV leasing of track to operator) for regional
freight operator and that interstate track NEEDS to be managed by someone
like ARTC.

Something will have to give soon, the existing arrangements are
unsustainable.

I am not too sure if the Feds have money stashed away to upgrade track. What
about the Federation Fund??

AH
 Nothing will happen unless NSW can be convinced of its merits.
Maurie Daly <mauried@commslab.gov.au> wrote in message
mauried.346.377AC9B7@commslab.gov.au">news:mauried.346.377AC9B7@commslab.gov.au...
> The final report of the National Rail Taskforce establised by the PM under
the
> chairmanship of Mr Jack Smorgan to make recomendations as to how and what
> should be done to enhance rails competitiveness is available fro DOTs
> Website .
> http://www.dot.gov.au/land/rail/RailProjTask/index.htm
>
> For most readers of this group there is nothing new in this report as its
all
> common sense , unfortunately that the pollies cant see it though.
>
> One of the more interesting recommendations is that all future Federal
Funding
> for Rail must be conditional on State cooperation ,(here I wouldnt hold my
> breath) and also that the States totally get out of running their own
freight
> trains .
>
> Its worth a read
>
> MD
>