All aboard the very fast train

IT’S ELECTION SEASON All aboard the very fast train

 DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

THE Very Fast Train proposal by Opposition leader Anthony Albanese is part of the election folklore of the Central Coast, dusted down and presented as a concept every time we go to the polls.

It has been a particular favorite of Mr Albanese for many years now, but it was Dr Paul Wild of th CSIRO who fi rst took the time to draw up a proper plan in 1984. But even that wasn’t the start of the VFT.

In 1969 I wrote a feature story for a regional daily which suggested the State Govt build a Very Fast Train system in NSW. The plan was the result of our local MP visiting Japan and studying the famous Bullet Trains which entered service in 1964.

It would open up the vast Central West of NSW to fast travel into Sydney. The ALP came to power and when PM Gough Whitlam announced that a major new city would be built between Bathurst and Orange with a fast train service to Sydney Central, things fi nally started moving…or so it seemed.

Almost 50 years later I was standing in Tokyo watching the Bullet Trains pass by in large numbers and reminiscing about that plan from long ago.

The VFT is now part of Australian mythology which is paraded before voters every State and Federal election to grab the votes of the Coast’s long suff ering commuters who have to go to work every day on a train system fi rst built in the mid-19th century.

The train from Gosford to Central Station still uses the same route that the fi rst NSW steam train between Sydney and Granville fi rst debuted in 1855.

So, there is no doubt a solution is needed now and Mr Albanese’s proposal is the right project at the right time for the thousands of locals who face the uncertainty and delays of the current urban rail service which was introduced in the 1960s when the line was electrifi ed to Gosford.

Mr Albanese was quick to delineate between the ‘Very Fast Train’ concept and the much less ambitious “Fast Rail” concept.

Under the last plan I saw, the Very Fast Train would have its own route and would have only one station on the Coast, west of the M1 at Ourimbah. Like all great projects, it has major problems, like tunnelling deep under the Hawkesbury.

It is generally agreed that the VFT between Newcastle and Sydney would not actually run into the Sydney CBD, but would terminate around Parramatta, allowing travellers to link with Sydney Metro.

By comparison “Fast Rail” would involve three stations on the Coast and would link up with Sydney Central.

So, apart speeding up the trip for long suff ering commuters and hopefully eliminating delays, what other benefi ts will Fast Rail and the eventual VFT bring?

Mr Albanese partly covered this in his speech in Newcastle which dangle the prospect of fast rail to voters ahead of the upcoming federal election.

He pledged $500M in his fi rst budget if elected for fast rail, with Sydney to Newcastle the priority

Mr Albanese said fast rail would cut travel times between the cities by 30 minutes in his address to a gathering of around 100 Labor Party members at Cooks Hill Surf Club on Sunday.

He said a Labor government would “prioritise” fast rail between Sydney and Newcastle as a fi rst step towards highspeed rail.

“If I’m elected prime minister, I want ours to be the fi rst government that actually gets work underway on high-speed rail,” he said.

“My vision is for high-speed rail that runs from Brisbane to Melbourne.

“Under a Labor government I lead, the High-Speed Rail Authority will make the corridor from Newcastle to Sydney, which includes stops at the Central Coast, its fi rst priority.

“We’ll start with a fast-rail corridor but we’ll plan and build for the move to highspeed rail,” he told the gathering.

“Faster rail would see travel times from Newcastle to Sydney cut to just two hours and once high-speed rail is up and running, this journey would only take 45 minutes.”

The fi rst budget would begin corridor acquisition, planning and early works for fast rail.

Mr Albanese also toured the Central Coast network as a guest of the Federal Member for Dobell Emma McBride. He said Fast Rail would involve speeds of 250kmh with stops at Gosford, Ourimbah and Wyong.

Business Hunter chief executive Bob Hawes welcomed the announcement and told th ABC it brought the focus on the need for such infrastructure.

VFT concept and Anthony Albanese.

Local tourist operators shine

CENTRAL Coast Council’s Marketing and Tourism team has received a Bronze Award in the Local Government Award for Tourism category at last night’s NSW Tourism Awards 2021.

Local operators Australian Reptile Park received a Silver Award in the category for Major Tourist Attraction, and Ibis Styles The Entrance received a Bronze Award in the category 4.5 Star Accommodation.

Spokesperson for Destination Central Coast and Council Director, Natalia Cowley said being recognised in the state’s prestigious industry awards was a fantastic achievement for the Central Coast and for Council’s dedicated Marketing and Tourism team.

“I am immensely proud of our Marketing and Tourism team who, in a relatively short period of time since bringing the function in-house in July 2020, have propelled our region onto the world stage with a powerful Destination Central Coast brand that heroes locals, local products and our spectacular natural environment,” Mrs Cowley said.

“The team are continually fi nding new ways to support industry opportunities and grow the visitor economy. They have been particularly recognised for their work in supporting the local industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for their tourism management and visitor promotion strategies.

“We congratulate all award winners announced last night, and also want to congratulate Sydney Oyster Farm Tours at Mooney Mooney and Young Achiever, Central Coast local Amanda Woodbine who were named fi nalists in the Awards.”

Council Administrator, Rik Hart said the Central Coast tourism sector is supported by teams at Council dedicated to seeing it prosper – teams who work alongside the community, industry and all levels of government.

“Tourism is an important pillar of the Central Coast economy and having a strong strategy for the long-term management of the sector which balances community needs and the protection of our environment is vital,” Mr Hart said.

“Council’s Central Coast Destination Management Plan 2022-25 was recently placed on public exhibition for community feedback and I look forward to seeing this return to Council for consideration later this month.

“I congratulate the Tourism and Marketing team at Council on their Bronze Award, and all our local operators for their passion and dedication to the Central Coast as a destination region.”

Our beaches are a huge tourist draw card.

Receiving a Bronze Award in the NSW Tourism Awards adds to the region’s growing list of accolades also driven by Council and Destination Central Coast, including being the only NSW destination named in Green Destinations’ international 2021 Top 100 Destination Sustainability Stories list; winning ‘Most Compelling Itinerary’ in the NSW Top Tourism Town Awards 2021; and The Entrance named a Finalist in Wotif’s Aussie Town of the Year Awards 2021.

A special congratulations to MidCoast Council: Destination Barrington Coast who received the Gold Award, and Port Macquarie-Hastings Council who received the Silver Award in the same category – Local Government Award for Tourism.

Ratepayers hoping beat grab

RATEPAYERS hoping to use the Statute of Limitations to beat the controversial historic rates grab by Central Coast Council may be in for a big disappointment.

A Council spokesperson said the normal Statute of Limitation on debts may not apply in historic cases.

“For the small number of accounts, approximately 590 customers, that are impacted by Council’s legacy decision to hold statement action, each account will be assessed to determine if the Statute of Limitations will apply. “There are provisions within the Local Government Act 1993 and the Roads Act 1993 which allow for debt to be recovered with limitation periods of up to 20 years. “If it is determined that an account falls within the provisions of the 20-year limitations, Council may determine to validly recover the costs owing.

“If it is determined that an account is covered by the seven-year Statute of Limitations, Council may not seek to recover the costs owing. Unfortunately, Council does not have the ability to absorb up to $1m of outstanding costs.”

A High Court decision in 2019 involving Brisbane City Council v. a local ratepayer owing money, held that the Statute of Limitations should be imposed on rate collection.

This muddied the waters for councils that had previously set their own time limits.