May
Victoria accuses Melbourne Airport of holding rail link ‘hostage’
The airport is run by major investors including the Future Fund, and has a different idea from the government of the transport needed from Melbourne’s CBD.
- Jenny Wiggins
How LVMH exhumed luxury rail with the Eastern & Oriental Express
The venerable Belmond travel company is back with a renewed sense of purpose after a refresh - but the focus is still on good old-fashioned, timeless elegance.
- Brook Turner
- Exclusive
- Federal budget
Two-thirds of new road and rail money flows to Labor seats
Labor has allocated $4.1 billion for 64 new priority infrastructure projects, $2.7 billion of which has gone to Labor seats in Tuesday’s federal budget.
- Ronald Mizen and Tom McIlroy
Labor adds $16.5b road and rail projects
The government committed $16.5 billion to road and rail projects, including $4.1 billion for 65 new developments – just 12 of which were revealed in the budget.
- Ronald Mizen
Rio investigates latest iron ore train derailment
Rio Tinto’s driverless trains are under scrutiny after the third derailment in 11 months at iron ore operations in WA.
- Brad Thompson
- Exclusive
- Infrastructure
Labor warned of risk from Victoria’s $200b rail loop
Infrastructure Minister Catherine King is fighting to keep secret the details of 30 projects that her hand-picked review said should be scrapped, as well as warnings over Victoria’s controversial Suburban Rail Loop, which will cost more than $200 billion to build and operate.
- Ronald Mizen
CommBank to refi PE-backed logistics giant; Daimler, IFM tip into debt
The new loan comes four years after Allegro Funds, led by deal maker Adrian Loader, paid less than $10 million to acquire Team Global Express.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
April
GIP’s Pacific National in management meet-and-greets; eyes on PSP
Sources said Canadian pension funds, including PSP Investments, are in-and-around the sale process, while Middle Eastern funds are also expected to take a look.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
Linfox has been ‘let down’ by fragile rail networks
Some of the logistic group’s customers now refuse to put goods on trains due to severe disruption from floods, bushfires and derailments, says chief executive Mark Mazurek.
- Jenny Wiggins
Inland Rail now almost 20 per cent complete, says CEO
Construction of the 1600-kilometre rail link is progressing but the government-owned agency building it still doesn’t have a clear view on its ultimate cost and finish date.
- Jenny Wiggins
March
Suburban Rail Loop to cost another $16b, Victorian budget office finds
Victoria’s Parliamentary Budget Office has projected that building and operating the first two phases of the Suburban Rail Loop will cost $216.7 billion.
- Gus McCubbing
GIP hangs up for-sale sign at Pacific National; mandates banks
Street Talk understands GIP has mandated JPMorgan’s bankers to find a buyer keen for a slice of its 50 per cent stake in Pacific National.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
February
How Denmark is using its design knack to transform trains
The country is investing almost $3 billion in its new IC5 train fleet. Expect carriages fitted out to give passengers the feeling of “cosy friendliness”.
- Robert Bevan
Federal auditor to probe Labor’s $2.2b Suburban Rail Loop commitment
The auditor-general will examine whether the approval of Commonwealth funding for the $125 billion project was “informed by appropriate departmental advice”.
- Gus McCubbing
Aurizon wants to repay investors after 82pc profit jump
Chief executive Andrew Harding says “the business has performed very well”.
- Jenny Wiggins
Liberals derailed by stage three tax cuts in Dunkley
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and his candidate for the Dunkley byelection have been caught on the hop by Labor’s stage three tax cut changes.
- Gus McCubbing
Dutton splashes cash for rail project ahead of Dunkley byelection
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has committed nearly $1 billion for a rail project in Dunkley as he looks for support in the coastal Victorian seat.
- Gus McCubbing
January
- Exclusive
- Victorian Parliament
Suburban Rail Loop to progress ‘regardless of federal funding’
Victorian Infrastructure Minister Danny Pearson says pausing construction on the $125 billion Suburban Rail Loop will only add to the project’s cost.
- Updated
- Gus McCubbing
December 2023
Qube wins bitter court fight to claim $7m from Martinus Rail
The rail builder’s attempts to block the logistics group from getting access to $7 million in funds held as part of a security deposit have been dismissed.
- Jenny Wiggins
$10b budget ‘savings’ mostly delayed roads and rail spending
Three-quarters of Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ $9.8 billion in budget cuts come from pushing spending on major road and rail projects beyond the four-year forecasts.
- Ronald Mizen
