There are strong hints the federal government will find cash in the budget to build an inland freight railway link connecting Melbourne and Brisbane via rural NSW.
Transport Minister Darren Chester has written an opinion piece for The Australian saying the 1700-kilometre project could provide a transit time of less than 24 hours.
The most recent cost estimate for the project is $10.7 billion but it would have $22 billion worth of direct and indirect benefits to the economy, Mr Chester said.
A day after the government positioned itself as the best friend of owner-operator truck drivers by abolishing a controversial tribunal, Mr Chester wrote that inland rail has the potential to take 200,000 truck movements off the road.
"One train carries about the same as 110 B-double trucks," he said.
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"As a passionate advocate for reducing road trauma, this is a project that will save lives."
