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High Speed Rail Authority
The High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) is an Australian Government authority tasked with advising on, planning, developing and overseeing the construction and operation of an eventual high-speed rail network along Australia's eastern seaboard.
The Authority was part of a commitment made in November 2021 by the then-opposition Labor Party (and a further announcement by its leader Anthony Albanese in January 2022) to build a high-speed rail line from Sydney to Newcastle, and an eventual network from Melbourne to Brisbane. Legislation to establish the Authority was introduced in September 2022 and gained assent in December 2022. The Authority commenced operations on 13 June 2023, and its CEO was appointed on 11 January 2024; the National Faster Rail Agency was abolished on the commencement of the Authority.
The Authority is currently developing a business case for the Sydney to Newcastle section of the high-speed rail network, with $500 million allocated by the Australian Government for planning and corridor works. Tenders for the development of the business case were released in March 2024 and successful tenderers were announced in June 2024. These announcements were followed in August 2024 by the commencement of geotechnical investigations and a briefing for industry. In December 2024, the business case for the Sydney to Newcastle section was provided to the Government, along with a Product Definition Report. The report is currently being reviewed by Infrastructure Australia.
In a speech in Newcastle on 2 January 2022, then-Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese promised, if he was successful in the 2022 federal election, to build a high-speed rail line between Sydney and Newcastle. Part of this commitment included an allocation of $500 million for planning, land purchases and early works, along with establishing a dedicated authority to deliver an eventual line from Melbourne to Brisbane. This mirrored a similar announcement by the Labor Party in November 2021, and a similar promise made at the 2019 federal election. The promise was criticised by members of the Liberal Party, with the then-Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher saying that Albanese "[needed] to come clean" regarding the cost and the party vice-president Teena McQueen saying the proposal was "not cost effective". In contrast, The Australia Institute's Ebony Bennett said that it was a "smart announcement", adding that it would be popular "in areas [...] that stand to benefit a lot", including Newcastle.
In September 2022, the then-recently elected Albanese government introduced legislation to establish a new national High Speed Rail Authority. The Infrastructure Minister Catherine King said the Authority would have an expert board and be tasked with overseeing "the construction and operation of a high-speed rail network along Australia's eastern seaboard" between Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane. The authority would consult with state governments, give advice to the federal government, and develop standards to ensure an interoperable high-speed rail network across jurisdictions. King announced the Authority would advance the government's first priority of providing high-speed rail between Sydney and Newcastle, to which the government committed $500 million to commence early works and secure corridors. The Bill would abolish the National Faster Rail Agency and absorb its functions into the new authority. The Bill was passed by both houses on 24 November 2022, and gained assent on 12 December 2022.
The authority commenced operations on 13 June 2023, and the permanent CEO Tim Parker was appointed on 11 January 2024.
In the 2019–20 Budget, the Australian Government established the National Faster Rail Agency (NFRA), its purpose being to support "economic growth and social opportunity through faster rail connections between major capital cities and growing regional centres", and was tasked with producing a number of business cases for higher-speed rail between capital cities and regional centres. The Government allocated $40 million to assess five fast rail corridors:
These assessments were in addition to the three business cases already underway, started under the Turnbull government, examining the following corridors:
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High Speed Rail Authority
The High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) is an Australian Government authority tasked with advising on, planning, developing and overseeing the construction and operation of an eventual high-speed rail network along Australia's eastern seaboard.
The Authority was part of a commitment made in November 2021 by the then-opposition Labor Party (and a further announcement by its leader Anthony Albanese in January 2022) to build a high-speed rail line from Sydney to Newcastle, and an eventual network from Melbourne to Brisbane. Legislation to establish the Authority was introduced in September 2022 and gained assent in December 2022. The Authority commenced operations on 13 June 2023, and its CEO was appointed on 11 January 2024; the National Faster Rail Agency was abolished on the commencement of the Authority.
The Authority is currently developing a business case for the Sydney to Newcastle section of the high-speed rail network, with $500 million allocated by the Australian Government for planning and corridor works. Tenders for the development of the business case were released in March 2024 and successful tenderers were announced in June 2024. These announcements were followed in August 2024 by the commencement of geotechnical investigations and a briefing for industry. In December 2024, the business case for the Sydney to Newcastle section was provided to the Government, along with a Product Definition Report. The report is currently being reviewed by Infrastructure Australia.
In a speech in Newcastle on 2 January 2022, then-Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese promised, if he was successful in the 2022 federal election, to build a high-speed rail line between Sydney and Newcastle. Part of this commitment included an allocation of $500 million for planning, land purchases and early works, along with establishing a dedicated authority to deliver an eventual line from Melbourne to Brisbane. This mirrored a similar announcement by the Labor Party in November 2021, and a similar promise made at the 2019 federal election. The promise was criticised by members of the Liberal Party, with the then-Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher saying that Albanese "[needed] to come clean" regarding the cost and the party vice-president Teena McQueen saying the proposal was "not cost effective". In contrast, The Australia Institute's Ebony Bennett said that it was a "smart announcement", adding that it would be popular "in areas [...] that stand to benefit a lot", including Newcastle.
In September 2022, the then-recently elected Albanese government introduced legislation to establish a new national High Speed Rail Authority. The Infrastructure Minister Catherine King said the Authority would have an expert board and be tasked with overseeing "the construction and operation of a high-speed rail network along Australia's eastern seaboard" between Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane. The authority would consult with state governments, give advice to the federal government, and develop standards to ensure an interoperable high-speed rail network across jurisdictions. King announced the Authority would advance the government's first priority of providing high-speed rail between Sydney and Newcastle, to which the government committed $500 million to commence early works and secure corridors. The Bill would abolish the National Faster Rail Agency and absorb its functions into the new authority. The Bill was passed by both houses on 24 November 2022, and gained assent on 12 December 2022.
The authority commenced operations on 13 June 2023, and the permanent CEO Tim Parker was appointed on 11 January 2024.
In the 2019–20 Budget, the Australian Government established the National Faster Rail Agency (NFRA), its purpose being to support "economic growth and social opportunity through faster rail connections between major capital cities and growing regional centres", and was tasked with producing a number of business cases for higher-speed rail between capital cities and regional centres. The Government allocated $40 million to assess five fast rail corridors:
These assessments were in addition to the three business cases already underway, started under the Turnbull government, examining the following corridors: