FormulaNova said..






I dont understand. You mentioned this Bono person and HG replies... must have misread it or something?

FormulaNova said..




No, I envisage something that is point to point only. People always want to add stops, which then makes it a fast slow train. I think it should be from a central hub and then to another central hub. Unlike Sydney where they want to stop at interim stations.

Wollongong is too close to justify this, and what do you get? Just the same people that are already commuting get a quicker ride. I am suggesting that you put it where there is currently no-one.

The idea is that it is for creating a new city at some point, but allowing some jobs to be done in the major city.

Yes, I agree with you with a lot of points. It doesn't really achieve much, which is why it has been dragged out and ignored for a long time.

I have only caught a fast train once, and that was from Madrid to some city to the south. It was pretty impressive though in that it got up to speed quickly and was very comfortable. The city at the end of it was a small town really, just for tourism, but it is somehow justified. Maybe it was easier in Madrid to get the rail line access?

They use fast trains to get to enough places around the country, and I wonder if its justified by the cost or if it loses money? I certainly enjoyed it and would happily travel that way again.

Pugwash said..





Just a simple case of mistaken identity. Sometimes I think HG thinks he is bono... but he is not, coz kato told us so...

SSsseeeeee... Simple...

Mr Milk said..




So what you think is a goer would be the new HSR line from Geraldton to Port Hedland? Dubbo to Tamworth?

Mobydisc said..
How about demolishing Canberra and freeing up the rest of the country?

The Commonwealth Government could go back to renting a few offices in Melbourne to house the staff needed to keep track of what it's responsible for under the constitution. A budget of around $5 million would cover it pretty easily.

Mobydisc said..
How about demolishing Canberra and freeing up the rest of the country?

The Commonwealth Government could go back to renting a few offices in Melbourne to house the staff needed to keep track of what it's responsible for under the constitution. A budget of around $5 million would cover it pretty easily.

Mobydisc said..
How about demolishing Canberra and freeing up the rest of the country?

The Commonwealth Government could go back to renting a few offices in Melbourne to house the staff needed to keep track of what it's responsible for under the constitution. A budget of around $5 million would cover it pretty easily.

psychojoe said..
I hate it when people just chime in on the third page of a thread without reading the whole thing first, but that's what I'm doing.
Our prisons are overcrowded but I don't want to build more because that costs money.
If we decriminalised marijuana we could release a bucketload of prisoners which would make room for mandatory minimum sentences for protection order violators nation wide.
I much prefer a city full of worthless stoners to a city full of violent jerks beating their husbands, wives, and children

FormulaNova said..




Moby you keep on bringing this up but you are starting to sound like and old man shouting at the clouds.

There are so many things that need to be done in a society. You choosing to ignore this does not change it. Saying that the government was not responsible for much under the constitution does not remove the functions that it does today.

At best you might be able to argue that a lot of federal responsibilities move to the states, but what is that going to achieve?

I think anyone that thinks government is full of people standing around drinking coffee and doing nothing has not seen how it actually works. Its like people thinking that school teachers have an easy job because they get school holidays off.

I lived in Canberra for 7 years and I think they build it in the wrong place, a cold hole in the winter and hot in the summer, should of put it on the coast near Batemans Bay or something, would be much nicer

Mobydisc said..




I will keep bringing it up as the federal government keeps taking over more and keeps getting bigger.

The federal government has moved a long way in 120 years. Back at federation it had responsibility for three areas:

1. National defence
2. Foreign affairs
3. Interstate trade

That is all because that is all the power it was granted by the constitution.

What does the federal government have responsibility for today? Who really knows? What responsibility will it have in 120 years time? It will probably be telling us what coloured underwear we are to wear on Tuesdays.

UncleBob said..




Personally I would rather suggest the elimination of state governments, the expansion of local government areas and the commonwealth government supply finance to said local governments. Just think of the money and restraints saved by eliminating this now unnecessary level of government.
We could turn the state government building (at least in NSW) into a high end hotel with the offices behind into itinerant backpacker accommodation, much the same as it is now.

Ian K said..




Only 7 years! Batemans Bay is still a bit nice but imagine if 350,000 Canberrans moved in. It'd be like the coast between Otford and Sanctuary point. The population of coast Banksias, coast T trees and coast wattles would crash. where would the remaining seas eagles and cockatoos perch?

What we need is a huge trenching machine and put it to work encircling Melbourne.

Rails said..




Not sure that's an infrastructure project, more a policy position.

Australia needs to be oil independent within 10-15 years, we need to fund every project that helps meet this goal, geothermal, pumped hydro, hydrogen from sea water, etc... we need to replace oil dependent infrastructure including vehicles and particularly farming, mining and construction equipment.

We need a stable, self sustaining and dependable energy infrastructure that provides for our needs without being dependent on imports.

like it or not the foreign oil is going to run out, local is already pretty much gone, might as well plan for it...

Mr Milk said..
You really do want to make things difficult for ordinary people, don't you. Federal government responsibility increases over time as society becomes more complex. It has an important role to play in equalising opportunity between regions and states. It does what it can to ensure that schools across the nation are providing a roughly equal level of education, and that healthcare in the boonies is as good as it is in the cities.
When you bang on about what the "Constitution" defines as Federal responsibilities you sound as stupid as any ISIS fanatic or American gun nut. Laws evolve constantly as society does. There was no constitution in 1890. What was written in 1900 was a compromise then that suited the times. Times change.

Mobydisc said..




The Federal Government has Constitutional power over the following:

Foreign affairs
National defence
Interstate trade


These are the domains granted to the Commonwealth. No more and no less under the rules, the constitution.

bazz61 said..
on a more serious note , the GREAT Central Highway seal it , for those that don't know it its a graded track that passes from Western QLD , through Alice NT , and arrives at Laverton WA .