The Editorial
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The Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack is right to keep pushing for a high speed rail network within Australia.
While many see the network as purely 'pie in the sky' quite simply they are wrong.
Japan and Europe have had high speed rail for years, while China is developing an impressive network at a rapid rate.
And it will only be a matter of time before such a system is introduced here.
All it will take is for a federal government, present or future, to bite the bullet and get on with it.
But perhaps therein lies the problem.
To date no government has been prepared to commit to the project.
"It's all too hard and too expensive," is the catch cry.
Unfortunately its been that sort of short-sighted thinking that has seen the announcement of Sydney's second airport at Badgerys Creek delayed by 50 years.
Yes money is tight, but it's not going to improve in the foreseeable future.
Money was tight when the Menzies government built the Snowy Mountains scheme and money was tight when the Hume highway was eventually duplicated last year.
So it's up to Mr McCormack to keep fighting for the project.
While he welcomed the second Sydney airport announcement, he said it would still need to be complemented by high speed rail to ensure accessibility for the state's regional centres such as Wagga.
Indeed he is right.
Mr McCormack has the backing of former deputy prime minister and noted train buff, Tim Fischer, and other high profile Australians - so let's hope they have the clout to turn a vision into reality.
If it can be done elsewhere around the world it can be done here.
The time for excuses is over.