There’s no surer sign of an imminent federal election than a fast-train promise. Labor is pledging that if it wins next year’s federal election, it will create a new High Speed Rail Authority and get cracking on building the 1750km railway from Brisbane through Sydney to Melbourne.

And who doesn’t love the idea of a bullet train zipping along Australia’s coastline? We like to imagine it would be nation-building, bring us in line with the rest of the world, and give a major economic boost to regional communities.