National Land Transport Network Variation 2014 (No.1)
Explanatory Statement
Issued by the authority of the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development
October 2014
- legislative context
Section 5 of the National Land Transport Act 2014 (the Act) requires that the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development determine a National Land Transport Network (the Network). The principal purpose of determining the Network is to establish the roads and railways (existing or proposed) on which projects can be approved for funding under Part 3 of the Act.
Section 6 of the Act allows the Minister to vary the Network as long as the variation, once made, accords with the requirements outlined in section 5 of the Act.
The name of the determination will also be updated to reflect the new name of the Act, which came into effect on 10 October 2014.
2. content and effect of Variation 4
2.1. Overview of the Network
The underpinning rationale for shaping the Network is connectivity. The criteria outlined in section 5 of the Act emphasise the connectivity between capital cities and/or major centres of commercial activity or an inter-modal transfer facility.
The Network includes:
- rail links, because with the prospective increase in freight demand Australia needs a high-performing rail system to take some of the load off roads;
- urban links to ports, airports and other intermodal facilities in order to deliver productivity growth and relieve the links to ports, airports and terminals; and
- major inter-regional links that are nationally important for increasing economic growth.
2.2. Network Update
The Network has been updated to include major new road and rail links completed, underway or proposed, including the Inland Rail in Victoria, NSW and Queensland and:
Western Australia
Perth Freight Link, North Link WA, Tonkin Highway extension and the Kalgoorlie to Esperance Rail line;
Victoria
East West Link, on and off ramps for the West Gate Freeway, Footscray Road, CityLink and the alternative Calder Highway route;
New South Wales
WestConnex, NorthConnex, the proposed Motorway between the M7 and The Northern Road in NSW, extensions to the Hunter Valley rail network and rail links to the proposed Moorebank Intermodal Terminal;
Queensland
The Toowoomba Second Road Crossing, extension of the Gateway Motorway to the Logan Motorway, the Logan Motorway between the Ipswich Motorway and the Gateway Motorway, Bruce Highway from Brisbane to Cairns, the rail line between Townsville and Cairns and the rail line from Yeerongpilly to Roma Street via Corinda.
A number of minor administrative and grammatical changes have also been made to reflect updated names and descriptions of road and rail infrastructure.
3. best practice regulation
3.1. Regulatory Assessment
This instrument does not involve any regulatory or quasi-regulatory measures. Self-assessment using the Best Practice Regulation Preliminary Assessment checklist has confirmed no further regulatory assessment is required.
4. CONSULTATION
In updating the Network consultation has been undertaken with States, Territories and key stakeholders such as the Australian Logistics Council, the Australasian Railway Association and the Australian Rail Track Corporation.