High Speed Rail: A Silver Bullet for Regional Australia?

The forum was held on Thursday September 1st 2011.
Regional Development Australia ACT is jumping on board with long time High Speed Rail campaigners the Canberra Business Council to host a Canberra based forum examining the benefits of High Speed Rail (HSR) to regional Australia.
Tickets for the September 1st event, High Speed Rail: A Silver Bullet for Regional Australia? which includes a two course luncheon, are available at $75 per head. To register, visit the Canberra Business Council website.
We’re excited about the timing of this event, with the Phase 1 Study Report having been released in early August 2011, and the Phase Two Study commencing in the near future. To gain a better understanding of what all these ‘studies’ really mean, come along to the Forum, and listen to the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure’s High Speed Rail Policy guru, Mr Richard Farmer.
Overseas experience shows that HSR can have a dramatic influence on the development of regional areas and assist with reducing population pressures of major cities – as well as increasing connectivity efficiencies between major population centres. With that in mind, RDA ACT has invited as a keynote speaker Daniel Freire, the Head of the Strategic Projects of Spanish operator Renfe’s High Speed-Long Distance unit. Spain’s operating environment for HSR is not dissimilar to Australia’s, and more relevant than the experiences in Japan, and China for example, so much can be learnt from the Spanish in terms of delivering a HSR network.
Our event partner, the Canberra Business Council, has been a long time supporter of an HSR connection between Canberra and Sydney and Melbourne, based on the potential economic and business benefits.
For our part, RDA ACT seeks a continued focus on a Sydney to Melbourne (via Canberra) route, to highlight the potential regional economic development (and business) outcomes – specifically to Canberra, the ACT and the other (RDA) regions along the Sydney – Melbourne corridor. Regional Australia, especially inland regions require a ‘game changer’ to stimulate development and growth. HSR could indeed be the required fillip.
The forum will be held on Thursday September 1st from 12.00pm to 2.00pm at the Hotel Realm in Barton, Canberra.
Facilitator will be Dale Budd, another well known name in the campaign to develop Australian High Speed Rail. In addition to the two key note speakers, the ACT Minister for Economic Development, and Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Andrew Barr will also speak on the benefits of HSR to the ACT.
Draft Program
Facilitator: Mr Dale Budd
Welcoming Address
ACT Minister for Economic Development Mr Andrew Barr MLA (10 minutes)
Keynote 1
Mr Richard Farmer, General Manager, High Speed Rail, Department of Infrastructure and Transport (25 minutes)
Since November 2010, Richard has headed the strategic study into High Speed Rail (HSR) in Australia. The study is an open and extensive feasibility study to determine the economic benefits and financial viability of an HSR network connecting the cities on Australia’s east coast.
Prior to HSR, Richard was the General Manager – Policy in the Infrastructure Investment Division of the Department of Infrastructure and Transport. In this role he led research and national policy development in infrastructure planning and investment. This included national investment priorities, micro economic reform and infrastructure technology priorities.
Richard’s presentation will focus on:
  • A summation of the first stage of the implementation study;
  • Addressing the next steps necessary to reach stage 2 on the feasibility report; and
  • Determining the options available for HSR.
Keynote 2
Mr Daniel Freire, Head of Strategic Projects, RENFE (25 minutes)
Daniel Freire is the Head of the Strategic Projects of Renfe’s High Speed-Long Distance unit.
He holds a BA in Business Administration from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and a MS in Transportation from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Prior to joining Renfe in 2005, Daniel led various strategy and transportation consulting projects in the US, Puerto Rico, Philippines and Spain. Previously, he worked in the financial sector for Société Générale, Crédit Agricole and the Inter-American Development Bank.
Daniel’s presentation will include:
  • Lessons learnt from the successful implementation of HSR in Spain
  • How to apply the key elements of success in Spain to the Australian context; and
  • HSR as a catalyst for regional development, job creation, transport decongestion, and environmental stability.
Facilitated Question and Answer (25 minutes)
To register for the event visit the website of the Canberra Business Council.
If you are interested in attending a more in depth conference around High Speed Rail in Australia, check out High Speed Rail World in Sydney on August 30 and 31.