Inland Rail labelled the 'worst-managed infrastructure project in Australian history'
Australia's Inland Rail freight project, designed to link Brisbane and Melbourne, has been described as the 'worst-managed infrastructure project in Australian history' after years of delays and ballooning costs. A new completion plan, drafted by the executive who launched the scheme, has now been put forward for discussion.
The Inland Rail project, designed to create a 1,700-kilometre freight corridor between Brisbane and Melbourne, was originally estimated to cost 9.3 billion Australian dollars. According to recent assessments cited by ABC, current cost estimates have reached 31 billion dollars and the delivery date for some sections has been pushed back to 2034.
Independent experts have called it the 'worst-managed infrastructure project in Australian history'. After the government suspended large parts of the works last year, the founding chief executive of the Inland Rail Company has put forward a new completion plan focused on staged construction and a larger role for private sector financing.
The opposition argues the plan does not include strong enough accountability measures, while the transport sector says the connection cannot afford further delays. Rising road logistics costs have been the main factor pushing the project back into the political spotlight.
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