Last time we had a fast train proposal.
Dear reader, at last an inspired nation building project, post election that’ll make you proud. The main drivers of the Australian economy, ‘Real Estate’, have just released a visionary project that will make interstate travel easier. It’s called the Consolidated Land and Rail Project. And it’s truly innovative. Previous city to city initiatives were proposed as horrendously expensive nation building projects. Perhaps because alignments, and infrastructure were to be government sponsored. Sort of a rail version of the NBN. But this private venture is inspired, and is all about turning bits of land not necessarily aligned by the shortest route between capitals, into a speculative bonanza.
Route alignment has nothing to do with ‘Land banking” by developers. Really??
When you close down industry and manufacturing, how do you kick start the economy? This is where the ‘Ideas Boom’ kicks in. You find bits of land nowhere in particular, link them with a railway that no one can afford to travel on, and then, make a killing by value adding. And what value. Replicate the award winning formula of the un-liveable suburbs that grow and grow beyond the urban fringe.
Between Melbourne and Sydney, faster than you can say ‘ghetto’, there are proposed eight new cities. Linked to nowhere. Attached to nothing. Guaranteed, very fast profit for very fast rail. And it’s nation building. Well, that’s what Mathew Guy, ‘the Property Council’s ‘little mate’, told his mates when they cashed in on the re-zoning Fisherman’s Bend.
Fact of the matter is that if it proposes lowest common denominator infrastructure planning. Therefore it WILL HAPPEN!
It’s a new norm in urban planning. Big developers engaged as ‘cultural utility norms technicians’ to convert ‘undeveloped’ land into profit. It doesn’t even have to be linked to any other driver of the economy. Is there any other driver of the economy beyond land banking and an ever increasing population? Only a cynic would think this is the new-age kleptocracy at work. Links to other regional centres will be incidental and remote. Connections to places of employment, education, industry, (sorry we have none), is irrelevant. The principal aim is to provide a return to investors and housing for the less well heeled. Allow those on the lowest rung of the Real Estate ladder of opportunity to gain a foothold. A naming competition is in order to reflect the status of the eight new regional cities. Any suggestions beyond; ‘Bernardii, Abbott, Abetzville, Loser, Screwed, Rogered, Wasted, and Gouge’, will be gratefully accepted.
PM for ideas, likes trains and selling off public assets.
We at PCbyCP propose a ‘trickle down effect’ that’ll offset the denizens of these new cities in the middle of nowhere. We think it only fitting that we take advantage of the new infrastructure opportunities by privatising all existing road connections. It’ll not only encourage train use, but encourage the denizens to stay at home and develop community bonding. Just like they allegedly do in the outer outer outer suburbs. Let’s celebrate the new era of Australian knowhow, and inventiveness, by taxing these individuals twice the regional rate for infrastructure, schools, hospitals and libraries. There’s no such thing as a free lunch and Canberra is reining in spending. Offer housing within the new (does ‘Multi Function Polis’ sound right?) cities into long term leaseholds. Geared specifically to long term 457 visa holders. Upon ‘life termination’ relinquished property is returned to the Property Council for re-sale. It’ll augment the negative gearing and superannuation advantages for investors. That’s true recycling.
A simple message from the second term Turnbull Government. We’ve got rid of red and green tape. ‘Australia is open for business’. Anything can happen. Never was it a more exciting time to be an Australian. Incidentally, how do you spell “Carpet Bagger” very quickly?