Anthony Albanese's High Speed Rail link between Newcastle and Sydney will kick-start a rail revolution in Australia, and a better future for regional communities.
Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) National Secretary Mark Diamond said the High Speed Rail link would be the vital first step towards an east-coast rail network linking Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.
"High Speed Rail would not only address Australia's absolute reliance on airline industry, it would stimulate a new era of growth in regional centres along the east coast.
"The pandemic, and the associated increase in people in working from home, has increased the trend of Australians seeking to move away from the major cities.
"This should be opening up massive opportunities for regional areas to grow and prosper – but the regions are being held back by critical failures in our national infrastructure.
"It's clear that Anthony Albanese understands the importance of decentralising the national economy, and the role of rail in making it happen."
Mr Diamond said the transport would be a key battleground for the upcoming Federal election.
"Australian transport networks are slow, congested, expensive to use, and falling apart. In fact, Australia is woefully behind other countries in the development of efficient intercity rail links, and no genuine work has been done since the Liberals and Nationals disbanded the High Speed Rail Advisory Group in 2012.
"Regional Australians are a now paying the price for this lost decade under the Liberals and Nationals. The Federal Government's transport failures are having a profound impact on productivity, jobs and the ability of people to live and work in their own communities.
"Australia needs a comprehensive plan to deliver faster, safer, better transport – for both people and freight."
