High Speed Rail Authority Explained

High Speed Rail Authority
Type:authority
Formed:13 June 2023
Budget:$59.487m AUD (2024-25)
Minister1 Name:Catherine King, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
Chief1 Name:Tim Parker
Chief1 Position:CEO
Chief2 Name:Jill Rossouw
Chief2 Position:Chair
Parent Department:Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA)
Website:https://www.hsra.gov.au/

The High Speed Rail Authority (abbreviated as HSRA) is an Australian government authority established in 2023, 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 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.[1]

Establishment and previous incarnations

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 link 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.[2] This mirrored a similar announcement by the Labor Party in November 2021,[3] and a similar promise made at the 2019 federal election.[4]

In September 2022, the then-recently elected Albanese government introduced legislation to establish a new national High Speed Rail Authority.[5] [6] 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.[7] 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.[8] [9]

National Faster Rail Agency

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.[10] [11] The Government allocated $40 million to assess five fast rail corridors:[12]

These assessments were in addition to the three business cases already underway, started under the Turnbull government, examining the following corridors:

On the commencement of the operation of the Authority, the Agency ceased operations, and all employees were transferred to either the Authority or the DITRDCA.[13]

Board structure

Per the High Speed Rail Authority Act 2022, the board of the Authority consists of the Chair and four other members, who are all appointed by - and report to - the Minister. The board is required to hold at least four meetings a year.[14]

As of 2024, the Board members are:

Planning

Sydney to Newcastle section

Business case

On 30 January 2024, it was announced that $78.8 million of funding would be released for the development of a business case for the Sydney to Newcastle section of the high-speed rail network.[15] [16] The tenders for the business case were released in March 2024 and were split into eight packages, including:[17]

In response to tender documents suggesting the consideration of a potential station at Broadmeadow (in contrast to the 2013 Phase 2 report, which suggested a station "located outside the current urban areas" of Newcastle), Tim Parker said that a line from Sydney to Broadmeadow was "achievable".[18] [19]

The successful tenderers were announced on 13 June 2024, with the contracts being awarded to the following companies:[20] [21]

PackageSuccessful tenderer(s)
Project Control Services (Costs, Schedule and Risks)KPMG
Economics, Funding and Financing, Demand Modelling and Economic Development StrategyEY
Commercial, Delivery Strategy and Industry EngagementEY
Transport, Land Use and PropertyWSP
Technical Advisory, Environment and Sustainability, Community and Stakeholder EngagementWSP and Arcadis
High Speed Rail Network Operations PlanningArup
First Nations Participation and EngagementGHD
First Nations Culture and HeritageGHD

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: . 2024 . High Speed Rail Authority . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240315000953/https://www.hsra.gov.au/ . 15 March 2024 . 16 April 2024 . High Speed Rail Authority.
  2. Web site: Duke . Jennifer . 2022-01-01 . Labor promises $500m for Sydney to Newcastle leg of future high-speed rail . 2024-08-12 . The Age . en . 2024-08-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240812092601/https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/labor-promises-500m-for-sydney-to-newcastle-leg-of-future-high-speed-rail-20220101-p59l8m.html . live .
  3. Web site: High Speed Rail Authority: Labor will kick start high speed rail . Australian Labor Party . 15 November 2021 . Parliament of Australia ParlInfo . 16 August 2024 . 16 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240816103528/https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/library/partypol/8328962/upload_binary/8328962.pdf . live .
  4. Web site: Lynch . Lydia . 2019-03-21 . The duelling rail plans for south-east Queensland . 2024-08-20 . The Age . en . 2019-04-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190412055908/https://www.theage.com.au/national/queensland/the-duelling-rail-plans-for-south-east-queensland-20190321-p5166r.html . live .
  5. Web site: 2022-09-07 . High-speed rail plans to be put on track . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908043853/https://thewest.com.au/politics/high-speed-rail-plans-to-be-put-on-track-c-8162812 . 8 September 2022 . 2022-09-08 . The West Australian . en.
  6. Web site: Commonwealth Parliament House . Canberra . 8 September 2022 . High Speed Rail Authority Bill 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908043855/https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r6904 . 8 September 2022 . 2022-09-08 . www.aph.gov.au . en-AU.
  7. Web site: Commonwealth Parliament House . Canberra . 8 September 2022 . Catherine King, High Speed Rail Authority Bill 2022, Minister's Second Reading Speech . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221006044322/https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22chamber%2Fhansardr%2F25977%2F0005%22 . 6 October 2022 . 2022-09-08 . parlinfo.aph.gov.au.
  8. Web site: 11 January 2024 . Inaugural High Speed Rail Authority CEO announced - Ministers for the Department of Infrastructure . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421091615/https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/c-king/media-release/inaugural-high-speed-rail-authority-ceo-announced . 21 April 2024 . 21 April 2024.
  9. Web site: King . Catherine . 5 June 2023 . All aboard High Speed Rail Authority - Ministers for the Department of Infrastructure . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117061502/https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/c-king/media-release/all-aboard-high-speed-rail-authority . 17 January 2024 . 17 January 2024.
  10. Web site: 2019-04-02 . Federal budget 2019: fast rail solution to traffic congestion . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190720041246/https://www.afr.com/news/economy/federal-budget-2019-fast-rail-solution-to-traffic-congestion-20190402-1o24yc . 20 July 2019 . 2019-07-20 . Australian Financial Review . en.
  11. Web site: National Faster Rail Agency National Faster Rail Agency (NFRA) . https://web.archive.org/web/20190719034415/https://www.nfra.gov.au/ . 19 July 2019 . 6 July 2024 . National Faster Rail Agency.
  12. Web site: Projects National Faster Rail Agency (NFRA) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190719034452/https://www.nfra.gov.au/projects . 19 July 2019 . 2019-07-20 . www.nfra.gov.au.
  13. Web site: Budget October 2022-23 - National Faster Rail Agency - october_2022-23_infra_pbs_14_nfra.pdf . 6 July 2024 . Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts . PDF.
  14. Web site: About Us - High Speed Rail Authority . 5 July 2024 . High Speed Rail Authority . 12 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240512103229/https://www.hsra.gov.au/about-us . live .
  15. Web site: Funding released for Sydney to Newcastle high-speed rail business case - Ministers for the Department of Infrastructure . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421091616/https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/c-king/media-release/funding-released-sydney-newcastle-high-speed-rail-business-case . 21 April 2024 . 21 April 2024.
  16. Web site: Ikonomou . Tess . 2024-01-30 . Australia splashes $78m on high-speed rail case . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421091630/https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8503237/australia-splashes-78m-on-high-speed-rail-case/ . 21 April 2024 . 2024-04-21 . Newcastle Herald . en-AU.
  17. Web site: 2024-03-17 . Tenders to develop business case for high-speed rail network . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421091614/https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8558691/tenders-open-to-plan-high-speed-rail-newcastle-to-sydney-line/ . 21 April 2024 . 2024-04-21 . Newcastle Herald . en-AU.
  18. Web site: 2024-03-31 . High Speed Rail Authority boss says Broadmeadow-Central line 'achievable' . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421091628/https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8572487/hsra-boss-tim-parker-says-broadmeadow-central-line-achievable/ . 21 April 2024 . 2024-04-21 . Newcastle Herald . en-AU.
  19. Web site: 2024-03-27 . High Speed Rail Authority pushes Broadmeadow station option . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240421091631/https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8570542/high-speed-rail-authority-pushes-broadmeadow-station-option/ . 21 April 2024 . 2024-04-21 . Newcastle Herald . en-AU.
  20. Web site: 2024-06-13 . 'Very serious': firms named to shape high-speed rail business case . subscription . 2024-06-15 . Newcastle Herald . en-AU . 2024-06-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240615083402/https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8661075/high-speed-train-network-sydney-to-newcastle-awarded-tenders/ . live .
  21. Web site: World-leading experts on board for high-speed rail . 2024-06-15 . Ministers for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts . en.

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