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The Australian Government, through AusLink and the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), is investing more than $2.4 billion in rail infrastructure improvements on the National Land Transport Network and the interstate rail network. Around $600 million has been provided for rail projects under AusLink. A further $820 million in untied grants has been provided by the Government to ARTC which is investing these funds on a range of investments on the Melbourne-Sydney-Brisbane rail corridor. The ARTC also invests its own funding into projects.
AusLink
The main focus of AusLink rail funding is to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of freight rail, including rail linkages to the major capital city ports. Details of projects funded directly under AusLink can be found through the project search page, see below.
Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC)
With the agreement of mainland state governments, the Australian Government established the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) in 1998 to manage and develop Australia's interstate track infrastructure as a single entity. This is achieved through ownership or long term leases of the interstate track. The ARTC currently owns or leases interstate track from Kalgoorlie to the NSW/QLD border.
The Australian Rail Track Corporation Ltd is a public company whose shares are wholly owned by the Australian Government. The ARTC's charter requires the company to operate the interstate rail track on a commercially sustainable basis. It is financed by a mix of fees charged to commercial operators to access the track that it maintains, revenue received from maintenance contracts, Australian Government equity, commercial borrowings and direct grants from the Australian Government.
The main focus of ARTC's current rail investment program is on the Melbourne-Sydney-Brisbane corridor and further details of the program can be found on the ARTC website .
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