Footnotes

[1] Hon. J. Anderson, Minister for Transport and Regional Services, AusLink: building our national transport future. media release 7 June 2004.

[2] ‘Intermodal terminal’: a point at which products or commodities move between transport modes - for example, rail to road.’ AusLink White Paper, p.130.

[3] Dept of Transport and Regional Services, AusLink White Paper, 2004, p.15.

[4] AusLink White Paper, p.120.

[5] This formula does not apply to the Roads to Recovery provisions.

[6] AusLink White Paper, p.22.

[7] AusLink White Paper, p.19.

[8] Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, Alert Digest, No. 1 of 2005, 9 February 2005.

[9] Some clauses do suggest criteria at a high level of generality: for example, clause 11 on approving National Projects: ‘...the extent to which the project will improve the efficiency, security or safety of transport operations on the National Land Transport Network...’

[10] Subject to transfer of some railways to privatised track owners in recent years. Most of this has been by long lease.

[11] The formula differs slightly between Roads to Recovery and other local roads grants.

[12] P. Laird & others, Back on Track: rethinking transport policy in Australian and New Zealand, 2001, p.9, 199.

[13] P. Laird & others, Back on Track: rethinking transport policy in Australian and New Zealand, 2001, p.199.

[14] For example, Queensland main line upgrading in the 1990s, and Victoria’s current Regional Fast Rail projects.

[15] Mr B. Nye (Australasian Railway Association), Committee Hansard 18 March 2005, p.25.

[16] The cost of vehicles, whether it is borne privately or publicly, must of course be included in the total economic evaluation of transport alternatives. In the case of fully commercial transport services vehicles/rollingstock, over time, are effectively a consumable, and we may hope that their economic cost is adequately reflected in their financial cost to the operator. In comparing purchase of urban buses and trains for subsidised services with private spending on cars the situation is less clear. In both cases environmental aspects, such as the energy embodied in the vehicle, or the problems of disposing of it, should be considered.

[17] AusLink White Paper, p.62.

[18] In recent years some railways have been transferred to privatised track owners, usually by long term lease.

[19] Subject to the qualification that longer time series information comparable to that in table 5 seems to be not available.

[20] Road and rail have about equal shares of Australia’s freight transport task in tonne/kilometres (35% and 37% respectively; with 28% sea and 1% air). 86% of the rail share is bulk commodities, mainly coal and ore. AusLink White Paper, p.3. Australasian Railway Association, Australian Rail Industry Report 2003, p.9.

[21] Most other traffics clearly belong either to rail or road. Rail dominates transport of bulk commodities. Road dominates non-bulk freight traffic over short distances or on diverse routes with low densities. Road dominates passenger transport except on a few routes in big cities.

[22] AusLink White Paper, p.23.

[23] Submission 6, DOTARS, p.4.

[24] Mr M. Mrdak (Deputy Secretary, DOTARS), Committee Hansard 18 March 2005, p.2

[25] Submission 7, Australian Local Government Association, p.5. Submission 18, Transport Workers Union, p.1. Similarly submission 16, Local Government Association of Queensland, p.2. Submission 23, Civil Contractors Federation, p.3. Mr M. Apps (Bus Industry Confederation), Committee Hansard 18 March 2005, p.32.

[26] Submission 15, Australian Road Forum, p.7.

[27] Submission 9, The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering, p.2.

[28] AusLink White Paper, p.92-3.

[29] Submission 19, CFMEU, p.8. Similarly submission 18, Transport Workers Union, p.5. Submission 21, Rail Tram and Bus Union, p.1.

[30] DOTARS, answers to questions, 6 May 2005, p.3.

[31] A 2004 report recommended five NSW grain lines for upgrading, three as ‘unlikely to justify upgrading,’, and seven for further assessment. Grain Infrastructure Advisory Committee, Report on Rail/Road Options for Grain Logistics, 2004, p.31-32.

[32] Submission 4, Railway Technical Society of Australia, p.1.

[33] Submission 13, Australian Automobile Association, p.2.

[34] Submission 18, Transport Workers Union, p.3.

[35] Submission 23, Civil Contractors Federation, p.2.

[36] Submission 13, Australian Automobile Association, p.3-5. Submission 23, Civil Contractors Federation, p.3. Submission 28, Engineers Australia, p.1. For the Government’s answers to the AAA’s argument that new funding is not as great as the Government claims, see DOTARS, answers to questions, 6 May 2005, p.3.

[37] Australian Rail Track Corporation, Interstate Rail Network Audit - summary report, 2001, p.4. Australian Council for Infrastructure Development, Modelling the Economic Effects of Overcoming Underinvestment in Australian Infrastructure, 2004, p.14ff. Mr C. Althaus (Australian Trucking Association), Committee Hansard 18 March 2005, p.15-16. ACID’s rail figure exceeds the ARTC audit rail figure mainly because it includes a Melbourne-Brisbane inland route ($1.8 billion), Sydney urban projects ($2.5 billion) and various projects not on the interstate routes which were the subject of the ARTC audit.

[38] AusLink White Paper, p.26.

[39] Submission 22, Australasian Railway Association, p.2.

[40] Submission 22, Australasian Railway Association, p.2. Submission 5, Monto Shire Council, p.5. Submission 15, Australian Road Forum, p.4. Submission 25, Western Australian Government, p.5.

[41] Submission 26, Australian Logistics Council, p.1.

[42] Submission 15, Australian Road Forum, p.7.

[43] Submission 21, Rail Tram and Bus Union, describes problems of the Eyre Peninsula system. There are similar problems in Victoria and Western Australia: Dr P. Laird (Railway Technical Society of Australia), Committee Hansard 18 March 2005, p.36.

[44] For example, submission 15, Australian Road Forum, p.4. Submission 23, Civil Contractors Federation, p.2.

[45] Submission 28, Engineers Australia, p.1.

[46] Submission 13, Australian Automobile Association, p.5.

[47] Submission 25, Western Australian Government, p.26.

[48] Submission 27, ACT Government, p.2.

[49] Submission 5, Monto Shire Council, p.3.

[50] DOTARS, answers to questions 6 May 2005, p.4.

[51] These are the sections of the bill headed ‘Is it appropriate to approve a project?’

[52] AusLink White Paper, p.22

[53] Submission 6, Dept of Transport & Regional Services, p.2,4.

[54] Submission 8, Australian Trucking Association, p.2. Similarly submission 13, Australian Automobile Association, p.7.

[55] Submission 23, Civil Contractors Federation, p.3.

[56] Submission 13, Australian Automobile Association, p.7. Similarly submission 16, Local Government Association of Queensland, p.6. Submission 18, Transport Workers Union, p.2.

[57] Submission 13, Australian Automobile Association, p.2.

[58] Submission 29, Sustainable Transport Coalition WA, p.1.

[59] Submission 7, Australian Local Government Association, p.4.

[60] Mr M. Mrdak (Deputy Secretary, DOTARS), Committee Hansard 12 April 2005, p.28.

[61] Mr M. Mrdak (Deputy Secretary, DOTARS), Committee Hansard 18 March 2005, p.2.

[62] For example, submission 5, Monto Shire Council, p.2.

[63] Submission 25, Western Australian Government, p.5.

[64] Submission 16, Local Government Association of Queensland, p.4.

[65] AusLink White Paper, p.83. Mr M. Mrdak (Deputy Secretary, DOTARS), Committee Hansard 18 March 2005, p.3-4,13.

[66] Submission 5, Monto Shire Council, p.5.

[67] Submission 8, Australian Trucking Association, p.3. Submission 21, Rail Tram and Bus Union, p.1. submission 4, Railway Technical Society of Australia, p.3.

[68] Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics, Land Transport Infrastructure Pricing: an Introduction, working paper 57, 2003, p.vi.

[69] The NTC is to consider external costs as part of the third heavy vehicles charges determination due to be implemented in 2005.

[70] For example, see submissions of Pacific National Pty Ltd to Productivity Commission review of National Competition Policy reforms, 2004.

[71] Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics, Land Transport Infrastructure Pricing: an Introduction, working paper 57, 2003, p.5

[72] ‘Heavy vehicles’ are those with a gross vehicle mass of 4.5 tonnes or more.

[73] Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics, Land Transport Infrastructure Pricing: an Introduction, working paper 57, 2003, p.vi.

[74] AusLink Green Paper, 2002, p.36.

[75] Road wear increases greatly with increasing axle load.

[76] Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics, Land Transport Infrastructure Pricing: an Introduction, working paper 57, 2003, p.9-10.

[77] Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics, Land Transport Infrastructure Pricing: an Introduction, working paper 57, 2003, p.vi. AusLink Green Paper, p.36.

[78] Grain Infrastructure Advisory Committee, Report on Road/Rail Options for Grain Logistics,

[79] Submission 20, NSW Farmers Association, p.1.

[80] Submission 13, Australian Automobile Association, p.2. Mr J. Metcalfe (Australian Automobile Association, Committee Hansard 12 April 2005, p.11.

[81] A motorist entering a congested road is delayed by others but also causes delay to others. This delay increases greatly as the level of congestion increases. If motorists are not required to pay for the costs they impose on others, economically inefficient overuse of the road will result.

[82] Mr M. Mrdak (Deputy Secretary, DOTARS), Committee Hansard 12 April 2005, p.31.

[83] Submission 23, Civil Contractors Federation, p.3.

[84] Submission 25, Government of Western Australia, p.1. Similarly submission 4, Railway Technical Society of Australia, p.5.

[85] Submission 21, RTBU, p.5. Submission 24, CILTA, p.1.

[86] Submission 29, Sustainable Transport Coalition WA, p.2.

[87] AusLink White Paper, p.9.

[88] AusLink White Paper, p.9.

[89] Submission 6, DOTARS, p.5-6.

[90] The second point is most significant in Sydney, where freight trains are curfewed for long hours during peak periods so as not to risk holding up commuter trains.

[91] Submission 3, National Farmers Federation, p.2.

[92] Submission 7, Australian Local Government Association, p.4.

[93] Submission 10, Municipal Association of Victoria, p.2. Similarly submission 18, Transport Workers Union, p.5

[94] Mr K. Dobinson (The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering), Committee Hansard 12 April 2005, p.5. The limitation ‘associated with a road’ arises from the definition of ‘road’, which limits eligible projects: Roads to Recovery Act 2000, section 3. AusLink (National Land Transport) Bill, section 4.

[95] Submission 14, Australian Airports Association. Similarly, submission 12, Outback Areas Community Development Trust. Submission 25, Western Australian Government, p.7.

[96] Submission 3, National Farmers Federation, p.2.

[97] Submission 6, DOTARS, p.6.

[98] Roads to Recovery Act 2000, section 3. AusLink (National Land Transport) Bill, section 4.

[99] AusLink White Paper, p.95.

[100] Mr M. Mrdak (Deputy Secretary, DOTARS), Committee Hansard 18 March 2005, p.14. Similarly 14 April, p.34.

[101] Submission 28, Engineers Australia, p.2.

[102] Mr I. Webb (Australian Road Forum), Committee Hansard 12 April 2005, p.25.

[103] Submission 26, Australian Logistics Council, p.1.

[104] Submission 28, Engineers Australia, p.2.

[105] Submission 28, Engineers Australia, p.3.

[106] AusLink White Paper, p.30,67.

[107] AusLink White Paper, p.94.

[108] Submission 15, Australian Road Forum, p.9. Similarly submission 21, Rail Tram and Bus Union, p.3. Submission 23, Civil Contractors Federation, p.4.

[109] Submission 29, Sustainable Transport Coalition WA, p.2.

[110] Submission 15, Australian Road Forum, p.6. Submission 13, Australian Automobile Association, p.5.

[111] Australian Transport Council, National Transport Data Framework, 2004, p.iii,2.

[112] Australian Transport Council, National Transport Data Framework, 2004, p.iii,2.

[113] "AusLink – At A Glance" – Department of Transport and Regional Services fact sheet, available at

http://www.dotars.gov.au/auslink/factsheets.aspx