Re: Latest from the NSW rumour mill

[mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie Daly)]

In article <376bb83d.16342644@news.ozemail.com.au> tmid@ozemail.com.au (TM) writes:
>From: tmid@ozemail.com.au (TM)
>Subject: Re: Latest from the NSW rumour mill
>Date: Fri, 18 Jun 1999 21:27:32 GMT

>On Fri, 18 Jun 1999 00:08:56 GMT, mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie
>Daly) wrote:


>>Privatising Freightcorp makes sense, but not 49% of it .
>>You would have to sell the lot to get a good price and you would also have to 
>>sell or lease the tracks , a la Victoria.
>>It needs to be done soon though before the Hunter Valley is opened for 
>>competition, I beleive this is 2002.
>>
>>MD

>If the haulage of coal in the Hunter Valley isn't open to competition
>then why is Powercoal currently calling for tenders for the haulage of
>coal by rail from Newstan colliery to the Kooragang and Pt Waratah
>coal loaders? Wasn't National Rail a bidder on the Shell and Rio Tinto
>contracts at the end of 98?


As I understand the deal , all existing coal contracts arnt open to 
competition until a 5 year moratorium on competition expires,which I beleive 
is in 2002,although it could be sooner.
New coal contracts,ie those previously not held by Freightcorp or from new 
mines arnt affected,so anyone can tender.
In reality though Freightcorp hauls 99.% of all coal traffic , and its only 
the coal traffic which is profitable.
Whether any new players will get a fair deal from the secret RAC track access 
regime remains to be seen.

MD