Track compromise with NSW on the table: Anderson

<p>Federal transport minister John Anderson said yesterday (Tuesday, August 6) that there is now a compromise on the table that could see the New South Wales interstate track leased to the Australian Rail Track Network.</p> <p>A deal could be struck in the next four weeks, he said.</p> <p>The stalled negotiations between the Federal Government, the NSW Government, and the NSW rail unions have held up the creation and funding of a national interstate network since last year.</p> <p>Mr Anderson said that there is now an option acceptable to all parties, including the unions, which does "not compromise our desire that NSW properly integrates into the national network, and does not impede the business model for the network".</p> <p>"The failure to get an agreement could set back rail reform in Australia for two decades," he said.</p> <p>The NSW Government is "concerned over its political base in Sydney", Mr Anderson said. "&#8230 But we have the funds and we have the expertise. The NSW Government does not".</p> <p>However, the federal government is getting to the stage where it may walk away from the negotiations if they drag on much longer. </p> <p>The Federal Government has offered $870m in funds and loan guarantees over the next five years for an integrated national network, if the deal goes ahead. </p> <p>This funding of improved rail infrastructure is seen as vital to the success of last year’s Pacific National rail privatisation.</p> <p>The NSW Government is thought to be willing to do a deal on the track, but is concerned over union opposition. </p> <p>Mr Anderson told the National Infrastructure Summit yesterday that the AusLink white paper will be delayed to the end of the year because of the many submissions and the discussions still taking place. </p> <p>By 2020, the AusLink system will have split responsibility for the National Land Transport Network between federal and state governments, and the private sector. </p> <p>"Some of the freed-up funding would have been used to initiate the development of better transport links to major ports and airports, either by road or rail," he said.</p> <p>"These projects would be substantially financed by the private sector and mobilise some of Australia’s huge superannuation resources. </p> <p>"The projects would be undertaken in a timely and well planned way". </p> <p>Mr Anderson said that funding will need to be a mixture of both public and private. </p> <p>"A lot of roads will never attract private funding, but where they can, it can bring development forward by years," he said, citing the example of the Western Sydney Orbital. </p> <p>Mr Anderson rejected fears of a Chris Corrigan-led monopoly on rail that shadow transport minister Martin Ferguson raised earlier in the conference. </p> <p>Rail will replicate what happens on the roads, with government funding infrastructure and competition above rail, Mr Anderson said.</p> <p>"Infrastructure is incredibly important and we won’t be allowing it to slip up, he said. </p> <br />