Albanese’s high speed rail agency on a slow track, saying it’s busy with ‘strategic plan’

Interim rail chief reveals during budget estimates that planning for Sydney-Newcastle line hasn't started as MPs compare situation to episode of Utopia

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A year and a half after Labor took a vision for high speed rail to the 2022 election, the agency setup to develop the project hasn't started planning the line, and won't begin until next year, as it is busy with its strategic plan" and organisational strategy".

The glacial pace of the Albanese government's fast train ambitions was revealed during budget estimates late on Monday night. The project drew comparisons to Utopia - the TV series satirising the absurdity of government bureaucracy - after its chief referred questions about progress to a corporate plan" published on its website.

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