Jamie Briggs has announced that the funds earlier promised by the Federal Government have been withdrawn by the Abbott government. $76 million dollars will not now be available for the electrification of the Gawler line and the completion of the already commenced Tonsley line.

I can't help saying "I (and others on this site) told you so." This is par for the course of 'Liberal' (really 'Right Wing Conservative') governments since the days when Tom Playford's progressive infrastructure policies in building this state's welfare were thrown out the window by his big business, privatization of national taxpayer funded assets, and foreign ownership serving successors.

I wish that South Australia, which has historically received less than its fair share of Commonwealth funds, could impose tolls on all traffic crossing this state. Maybe we could look seriously at establishing a nuclear waste burial programme in our geologically stable wastelands to the North and make sure that all of the proceeds are spent here.

If I sound bitter, it's because I am. This country is one of the world's most fortunate, and its national debt is very low in comparison with most, yet the Murdoch Media managed to fool the lumpen proletariat into delivering us into the greedy claws of this mob of Howard era failed has beens. Watch out for the further theft of our assets in favour of their mates. Meanwhile our third grade rail infrastructure is a bad joke and a national disgrace.

SAR526.

I will make allowance for your love of a particular loco (my favourite too) and your venerability.

Pity some of our recent State governments are not able to live by the same economic wisdom and constraint expressed by Tom Playford in his heyday.

Since Tom Adelaide has gone from 3rd capital city to 5th ranking just above Hobart. While Perth and Brisbane have double/tripled Adelaide has limped along. Hardly a funding target for a seemingly miserly government anxious to repair the damage from the profligate spending of their predecessors.

Both Justapax and I have expressed our thoughts in the other thread so I will not bore you with the same stuff.

I applaud you nuclear ideas; about time!

The other option is that SA threaten to secede from the Commonwealth. That would scare Canberra because if we did WA would also go. We might even be able to appeal in the International Court the loss of the NT to the Commonwealth. That's food for thought. Then we could get money to convert the Darwin line to proper gauge 1600mm (5'3"). With all the international aid we could build a NEW 526 just like the POMs are building more A3/4s!

Regards
Ian

Do you know Ian, that I don't need to quote a single word of your posting? Wonders will never cease, but I agree with everything you said!

Tom was an old stick in the mud in social progress matters and maintained a monumental gerrymander, but he was VERY good for this state in all sorts of practical groundbreaking 'Australian First' initiatives. Oh how I wish we still had ETSA, with its firm plans to pump seawater into a deep Fleurieau gully reservoir using off-peak generation capacity which could make wind and solar power viable base load providers and provide us with competitive advantages in transport and industry.

As for SAR 526, I paid for the sleeper at the museum which bears her number and full name. I consider that she and her sisters were the finest, most beautiful and most universally useful steam locomotives ever to run (let alone be designed and built) in Australia. To have ridden behind her at an illegally high velocity in one of a very heavy train of Victorian wooden cars is one of my most treasured memories. That's my nephew standing in front of her at Bridgewater in my logo.

Regards,

Brian.

It was "playing with fire" for the SA Labour government to suspend a project that had more than 50% Commonwealth funding.  It would have been better to go into debt a little further to ensure it kept the Commonwealth funds.  If remaining costs on the project were 50% of the Commonwealth's contribution, the additional amount would have been $76m.  So now they have 5 battles

1. The Liberals accusing them of being bad managers
2. The Labour heartland in the north, which were promised a fast electric railway, but a Convention Centre and Stadium suddenly became more important
3. A diesel rail fleet nearing the end of its useful life, with the first of the 3000 series nearly 30 years old
4. Diesel suburban cars are no longer built, because every other city has gone electric
5. The economics, which show operating costs of electrics about half that of a diesel fleet

http://transportblog.co.nz/2013/10/24/electric-trains-a-lot-cheaper-to-run/


So eventually it will need to be done, but without the Commonwealth contributing $76m.  Borrowing the matching State component would have been "the steal of the century".  It is unlikely that even a Labour Commonwealth government would share in the cost given the debacle to date.

SAR526.

I will make allowance for your love of a particular loco (my favourite too) and your venerability.

Pity some of our recent State governments are not able to live by the same economic wisdom and constraint expressed by Tom Playford in his heyday.

Since Tom Adelaide has gone from 3rd capital city to 5th ranking just above Hobart. While Perth and Brisbane have double/tripled Adelaide has limped along. Hardly a funding target for a seemingly miserly government anxious to repair the damage from the profligate spending of their predecessors.

Both Justapax and I have expressed our thoughts in the other thread so I will not bore you with the same stuff.

I applaud you nuclear ideas; about time!

The other option is that SA threaten to secede from the Commonwealth. That would scare Canberra because if we did WA would also go. We might even be able to appeal in the International Court the loss of the NT to the Commonwealth. That's food for thought. Then we could get money to convert the Darwin line to proper gauge 1600mm (5'3"). With all the international aid we could build a NEW 526 just like the POMs are building more A3/4s!

Regards
Ian

I'll have some of what you are smoking please.

It's been suggested that a way around the federal government's disapproval of gay marriage in the ACT is for these people to invite George Brandis to their weddings. In the same vein, perhaps the offer of a flouro vest & a Drive might secure prime ministerial approval for the electrification?

Did anyone catch the part where Jamie Briggs said the Tonsley Line was a freight line? LOL

I am not sure how people expect that a new government is responsible for the promises made by a former government run by another political party?

Its not new, The Golden Grove Football Club was promised a grant for a major upgrade by the Howard Government, Howard lost and the incoming ALP Government scrapped it for the above reason. - Local ALP member Tony Zappia got onto it and was able to secure that funding however later on.

Could it be that the fault lies with the current State Government for mothballing the project when the funds were available?

As for State Politics, it will be an interesting election in March, - polling has the Libs winning in a landslide, yet Clive Palmer has stated that he will be standing candidates in every seat and running a strong campaign also, which I suspect will remove more votes from the ALP and no doubt some from the libs to Palmer also, if the Libs need his votes it will be interesting to see what of his promises they have to pass and if rail upgrades are amongst them?

I am not sure how people expect that a new government is responsible for the promises made by a former government run by another political party?

This wasn't an election promise, this was the former government actually funding the project. The state government start work, and when it's time to pay for it, the federal government pay the contractors directly, or give the money to the state to pay it.

If we went with your (and Tony Abbott's) approach, no project no matter how minor could be started in the lead up to an election. The real risk of having half finished projects and debt would stop everything. Everything from hospital upgrades, to roads and civil works would get caught up.

The Liberal's have absolutely done the wrong thing, decades of ongoing agreements to not sabotage projects in progress during the multiple changes of government over that time is out the window. No public transport projects in the same situation in other states has been sabotaged in this way.

Given the pathetic sum of $108.2 involved (the federal budget is huge) in this and the Tonsley upgrade, this isn't a battle about funding. This is purely about power, control, ideology and winning the election at any cost.

LABOR canned the Gawler upgrade when they ran out of funds, the Liberals let them know on entering the money wouldn't be there, why would it be? Labor weren't coming up with it... So Jay went ahead and announced that he was going to run the project again. He and you pressman are the only two surprised that the Libs re-clarified the funding going.

LABOR canned the Gawler upgrade when they ran out of funds, the Liberals let them know on entering the money wouldn't be there, why would it be? Labor weren't coming up with it... So Jay went ahead and announced that he was going to run the project again.

Oh please, the Liberals did clarify that any rail projects currently under contracts/construction would be funded, and this was after the election. Their lame story that the these two projects "did not have Federal approval" seems dubious.

If they weren't going to fund either of these projects, the right time was during the election itself, publicly. The Liberal party didn't do so.

He and you pressman are the only two surprised that the Libs re-clarified the funding going.

That's not what you said back in Sepember
http://www.railpage.com.au/f-p1860631.htm#1860631

I think probably all of those are safe, the electrification to DC is not in doubt.

You really are a massive liar sometimes, not that I believed you anyway, as your only reliable sources seem limited to the bitstream from your ISP and the electron flow from the power company.

I saw all the temporary structures at Tonsley were not there today when I drove past. Is it related to this?

LABOR canned the Gawler upgrade when they ran out of funds, the Liberals let them know on entering the money wouldn't be there, why would it be? Labor weren't coming up with it... So Jay went ahead and announced that he was going to run the project again. He and you pressman are the only two surprised that the Libs re-clarified the funding going.

Aaron, Care to explain why you have attributed the above comment to me when I have made no comment in this thread?

Don't blame me.  I voted Labor.

Aaron, Care to explain why you have attributed the above comment to me when I have made no comment in this thread?

Somehow I mistakenly attached your handle instead of Mr Fabricator, I apologise.

Somehow I mistakenly attached your handle instead of Mr Fabricator, I apologise.

Anything can happen in the heat of the moment, No Probs

Oh please, the Liberals did clarify that any rail projects currently under contracts/construction would be funded, and this was after the election. Their lame story that the these two projects "did not have Federal approval" seems dubious.

If they weren't going to fund either of these projects, the right time was during the election itself, publicly. The Liberal party didn't do so.

That's not what you said back in Sepember
http://www.railpage.com.au/f-p1860631.htm#1860631

You really are a massive liar sometimes, not that I believed you anyway, as your only reliable sources seem limited to the bitstream from your ISP and the electron flow from the power company.

I'll address things in reverse order.

Me a liar? This might come as a shock to you, but I have no actual say/pull/anything within any political party, and if you have trouble interpreting 'I think' then that is not a problem of my making, it a problem of your own. For the record I still think the electrification will proceed to DC.

Perhaps, and I am not a party of the party remember, the liberals didn't specifically announce they were not going to provide the funding for the Salisbury sparking because the project HAD ALREADY BEEN CANNED BY LOCAL LABOR nearly a year ago due to a lack of local funds/interest? - You even acknowledged this in the post I was quoting! Why would anyone waste their time and energy announcing the non funding of a project that's already not funded or progressing? I didn't hear the Federal ALP advertising they would fund the project... Probably for the same reason.

By what definition was/is the Salisbury sparking under construction or contract? What work has been carried out on the line within the last year? What impression did you have that caused you to believe that this was a project that was currently progressing?

And lastly the quote I was referenced in September did NOT MENTION the Gawler sparking, you mentioned it in your post. If you care to check back through the black box record of that thread I deleted your references to Gawler from my 'those probably safe' reply. Then commenting about Rudd having no money to transfer into the project anyway.

Anything can happen in the heat of the moment, No Probs

No heat in the moment, I was replying by phone which didn't have a thread review and used the wrong name... A simple smeg up, that's what it was.

Oh please, the Liberals did clarify that any rail projects currently under contracts/construction would be funded, and this was after the election. Their lame story that the these two projects "did not have Federal approval" seems dubious.

Just in case you missed something, here it is, from your wonderful local Labor controlled (for a limited time only) Department.

http://www.infrastructure.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/118464/DOCS_AND_FILES-8083657-v2A-RR_RON_Communications_Community_Engagement-_community_update_week_2_04_11_13.pdf

Note the document is somewhat conspicuously dated November 4 (that would be yesterday) AND clearly depicts the sparking to Elizabeth as being 'announced & out to tender'. - Why it states this when clearly it isn't is beyond my comprehension, but the point is, it doesn't say anything about currently contracted or currently being worked on...

What is your definition of 'currently under contracts/construction'? Because clearly even the department regards the situation as being somewhat different (and seemingly entirely consistent with the Federal Government's position) to how you state it to be.