Labor leader Anthony Albanese pitches fast train at NSW Hunter voters

Anthony Albanese says a Labor government would prioritise a fast rail between Sydney and Newcastle, slashing the travel time to just 45 minutes.

One of the early high-speed train versions, the LGV, in France. Picture: AFP

Anthony Albanese will strengthen his pitch to voters in the NSW Hunter region by announcing that a Labor government would prioritise fast rail connecting it with Sydney, slashing to 45 minutes the travel time from Newcastle to the CBD.

The Opposition Leader will use a speech on Sunday to say the move would be the first step towards achieving his vision for a high-speed rail network along the east coast and was consistent with a previous study showing that the Sydney to Newcastle corridor should be the first stage of an eventual line to Brisbane.

In a draft of the speech to be delivered in Newcastle, Mr Albanese said that a downpayment of $500 million would be made by Labor in its first budget to acquire the corridor. He said a new High-Speed Rail Authority would make the Sydney to Newcastle line its key priority.

“If I’m elected prime minister, I want ours to be the first government that actually gets work underway on high-speed rail,” he said. “My vision is for high-speed rail that runs from Brisbane to Melbourne. Creating jobs and connecting communities up and down the east coast of Australia.”

“Faster rail would see travel times from Newcastle to Sydney cut to just two hours. And once high-speed rail is up and running, this journey would take only 45 minutes. You’ll be able to jump on the train at 6:30pm and be at Sydney Olympic Park for the start of the [NRL] Knights game,” he said.

Present train travelling time between Newcastle and the Sydney CBD is about 2 hours 45 minutes.

The line would track through or close by seats which could come into play at the 2022 election including the seat of Robertson, held by the Liberals on less than 5 per cent, and the very marginal seat of Dobell, held by Labor on less than 2 per cent.

Veteran Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon is also vacating the seat of Hunter, where he suffered a swing against him of nearly 10 per cent at the 2019 poll amid concerns over the impact of Labor’s climate policy on local blue-collar and resources workers.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese. Picture: AFP

The population of the Hunter Valley and Central Coast is forecast to grow by 200,000 people by 2040, with Mr Albanese arguing that Australia was the only inhabited continent on earth not developing high-speed rail.

He also accused Liberal governments of purchasing trains from overseas at the expense of local industry, resulting in massive cost blowouts and infrastructure that was not fit for purpose with Labor committed to building trains locally.

“For decades, the Hunter made trains for Sydney and the NSW network,” he said. “Our National Rail Manufacturing Plan will mean that trains should be built here again.”

“That’s because Labor believes in Australian workers, we trust Australian skills.”

Mr Albanese also made health a focus of his campaign in the Hunter, saying that a future Labor government would “save your local GP Access After Hours Service”

Mr Albanese said that operating hours had been reduced at GP Access After Hours clinics at Belmont Hospital, Maitland Hospital, John Hunter Hospital and the Toronto Polyclinic, while the clinic at Calvary Mater Newcastle closed its doors on Christmas Eve.

He vowed Labor would reverse the cuts, arguing they amounted to more than $500,000.

In the draft speech, Mr Albanese continued his assault on the government’s management of the pandemic, arguing that it was “”not even pretending to play any role” in securing enough supply of rapid antigen tests after the national cabinet shifted the country towards living with the virus.

“Through the response to the pandemic the Hunter and Central Coast were treated

with disdain by this arrogant and dismissive government,” he said.

“Whether it was the transfer of vaccines meant for this region to Sydney, despite Covid being present in this community ... or making it impossible for people to access Covid testing, this government’s contempt for the people of this region has been on full display.”