A HIGH-SPEED rail connection between Newcastle and Sydney would make Sydney more accessible. Hunter commuters working in Sydney and businesses freighting their products to Sydney would benefit, depending on cost ('Experts on board for rail authority', Newcastle Herald, 6/6).
Cost would be critical. In this context, would the service be public or private? History has shown that private operators jack up fares and minimise maintenance to improve their return on investment. If the service was privately owned, the operator would try to claw back high building costs by charging through the nose.
