Businesses in Canberra and the Hunter region will join forces to lobby for a high-speed rail network along the east coast of Australia, despite conflicting interests over whether lines should first be built north or south from Sydney.
The much-hyped high-speed rail network would allow trains travelling at speeds of up to 350km/h linking Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, linking to Newcastle, Canberra, and a host of regional centres along the way.
The proposed rail network promises to allow one-hour travel between Sydney and Canberra.
The Federal Government is currently in the second and final stage of the feasibility study for the high-speed rail network, which is looking at commercial viability, final track alignment, and station locations, among other things.
Regional Development Australia yesterday announced they were helping put together a group of ACT and Hunter region businesses, including the Canberra Business Council and the Canberra Airport, to lobby the Federal Government and firm up support for the proposed high-speed rail link.
But the two regions appear to have competing interests over how the first stage of the high-speed rail link would be constructed.
Canberra Business Council chief executive officer Chris Faulks said that any move to build tracks north from Sydney would put the ACT and its surrounds at a significant disadvantage.
She argued the first stage of the network needed to prove that high-speed rail was viable, and said this would be more likely to be achieved through a Canberra to Sydney link.
''The issue for us is that if it goes Sydney to Newcastle, then there could be pressure for it to keep going north to Brisbane,'' she said.
''That would put this region, not just Canberra ... way behind the eight ball.''
Despite this, Ms Faulks said there was no issue with joining forces with Hunter businesses to lobby for the rail link.
''The combined voice with Hunter is about building high-speed rail or not building high-speed rail, so it's that high-level decision,'' Ms Faulks said.
''The next step down is OK, they make the decision to build high-speed rail, where do they build the first stage, and that's where we're saying it should come south first.''
Hunter Business Chamber chief executive officer Kristen Keegan said the group would look at the issues around first-stage construction pragmatically, but said there would be huge benefits in linking Sydney to the booming businesses of the Hunter.
''I don't think there will be a problem, I think what we've got to do, is to sit and communicate through in terms of some of the economic and social benefits of which section is staged first,'' she said.
''Getting groups together and getting an understanding around the table is the most important thing, and collaborating is going to be vital.''
Initial studies estimate the entire rail link could cost between $61billion and $108 billion. The Sydney to Canberra section of the rail link was estimated by the Federal Government to cost between $10.9billion to $24.5billion.
The estimated the cost of a Newcastle to Canberra stage was between $22billion and $37billion.
The second and final stage of the feasibility study is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
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