The construction, on-time and on-budget, of the 1,400 kilometre rail line used by The Ghan service further highlighted Labor’s mismanagement of the Epping-Chatswood rail link according to Shadow Minister for Transport Barry O’Farrell.

Mr O’Farrell said the 1400 km Alice Springs to Darwin Link had cost $1.3 billion to build.

“The original Parramatta to Chatswood Link was also meant to cost a similar amount ($1.4 billion) and open in 2006,” Mr O’Farrell said.

“Under Labor, the longer the Sydney project went on, the bigger the cost and time blowouts became,” he said.

“NSW taxpayers are now paying $2.3 billion for rail line that will only link Epping to Chatswood – half the original project.

(*Project jointly funded by Federal, South Australian and Northern Territory Governments and the private sector)

“It’s further evidence of Labor’s inability to deliver major infrastructure projects on time or on budget.

“Labor’s transport legacy will be a long list of projects that were mismanaged leaving taxpayers out of pocket and commuters waiting longer for service improvements.

“No one questions the benefit of this rail link, but taxpayers and commuters alike are puzzled at how it has been so badly mismanaged by the Labor Government,” Mr O’Farrell said.