Re: The Federal Budget - Rail forgotten??

[Joe Scott <oljoe@ezy.net.au>]

You were expecting any different from this third rate suburban lawyer who runs
the country.   When do you reckon HE last travelled by train, or any of the
other gangsters down in Canberra.   The hell with all of 'em

Joe

Rod wrote:

> Maurie Daly wrote in message ...
> >In article <37383223@nap-ns1> "Grahame Ferguson"
> <grahamef@users.mcmedia.com.au> writes:
> >>From: "Grahame Ferguson" <grahamef@users.mcmedia.com.au>
> >>Subject: The Federal Budget -  Rail forgotten??
> >>Date: Tue, 11 May 1999 22:49:03 +1000
> >
> >>I listened to the Treasurer's budget speech tonight, but I must have been
> >>asleep for I did not hear any mention of any funding for Rail projects,
> only
> >>Road funding.
> >>Granted that the Treasurer only focuses on the main points, there was not
> >>one paragraph devoted to rail.  Possibly any funding will be in the fine
> >>print.
> >>It is likely that the $250million funding already allocated in previous
> >>budgets will be reiterated.
> >>It looks on the surface at least that no new major funding will be
> provided.
> >>Any hope for diesel fuel excise relief for the Rail Industry has been
> >>dashed.
> >>Well it looks like Melbourne - Albury S.G. will never get concrete
> sleepers,
> >>or Broadford - Albury replacement for its 1962 94lb rail. All of this is
> now
> >>a Federal responsibility, as it is under ARTC ownership.
> >
> >>GF
> >
> >
> >Bit of confusion here.
> >Simply because ARTC is a federally owned Corporation doesnt in any way mean
> >that the federal Govt is responsible in any way for funding the operation
> of
> >the Corporation.
> >Indeed one of the major reasons for corporatizing Govt services is to make
> >them independant of Govt.
> >If Melb - Albury is to get concrete sleepers then it is ARTCs
> responsibility
> >to fund them,not the federal Govt.
> >Sorry if this sounds heartless,but its the real way of the world these
> days.
> >One of the major problems with Rail funding is that the Federal Govt is
> very
> >unlikely to want to fund tracks that it doesnt own,even Albury - Melb -
> >Wolseley isnt owned by the Feds , its just leased to ARTC.
> >
> >MD
>  Yep!
>         this is the real world where millions of dollars of fuel tax is paid
> by rail operators and about 70 % goes into consolidated revenue, and the
> rest gets spent on roads so that the opposition can run on a slightly hilly
> playing field..thats right people we live in a real world, so corrupt that
> the poor guy pays all the taxes, and tolls........aghh..... shit....
> Rod