Coal haul costs in Queensland, was > QR going National.

["< Tell >" <telljb@OZozemail.com.au>]

May I quote the following from BHP which is readily
available on their Web site.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Rail freight charges are also a significant cost in
Queensland.  You would have heard that the State
Government removed the moratorium on third party
access.  The reality is that it will still be a couple
of years until competition appears on the line.  
The access regime and the access charges have not been
set, and operators have to get their own equipment and
get organised.  

It is a welcome development.  We do not believe without
competition we are going to see the appropriate rail
charges in the Queensland system.  
We know the current charges are significantly higher
than what a third party operator is likely to charge.
We know from looking at our operations in Western
Australia that there is a very, very significant
difference in the cost of railing coal compared to the
cost of railing iron ore for example.

By Bob Kirkby
Group General Manager and Chief Executive Officer
BHP Coal
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Cheers.

----Terry Burton
Alice Springs NT
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