This bill became law on Dec 12th, 2022.
Transport & communications
The bill established the High Speed Rail AuthorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia. as a statutory agency to advise on, plan and, with state and territory consent, construct a high speed rail system in Australia.
The government introduced the bill to create a dedicated statutory authorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia. for high speed rail planning and advice after many years of discussion about an east coast high speed rail networkThe rail network the Authority is to advise on and plan for, with construction requiring consent from relevant states and territories.. The official APH summary says the authorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia. can advise on, plan and, with state and territory consent, construct a high speed rail system within Australia.
The bill was part of a long-running federal debate about high speed rail. Its practical legal job was narrow: create the High Speed Rail AuthorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia., set its functions and governance, and leave detailed project delivery questions to later planning and ministerial direction.
Criticism in debate focused on delivery risk rather than the bill title or metadata: some speakers said another authorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia. could mean more planning without construction, questioned cost and value for money, or wanted stronger transparency and regional safeguards.
Catherine King introduced this bill. It passed on the voices.
Did it become law?
Yes
Became law 12 Dec 2022
Final passage
Passed without a counted vote
Members called out ‘aye’ or ‘no’ — no individual votes were recorded.
Passage speed
95 days
From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step
Meaning
The bill established the High Speed Rail AuthorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia. as a statutory agency to advise on, plan and, with state and territory consent, construct a high speed rail system in Australia.
The Act gives the AuthorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia. functions for the high speed rail networkThe rail network the Authority is to advise on and plan for, with construction requiring consent from relevant states and territories. and corridor, and also functions for a faster rail network and additional corridors.
Parliament passed the bill after the Senate agreed to three Pocock amendments and the House agreed to the Senate amendments.
The Act commenced on 12 June 2023 and is administered by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.
Establishes the High Speed Rail Authority as a statutory agency to advise on, plan and, with the consent of states and territories, construct a high speed rail system within Australia.APH bill record
The Authority has functions in relation to the high speed rail network and the high speed rail corridor. The Authority also has functions in relation to a faster rail network and additional corridors for that network.Federal Register Act metadata and Act text
Committee of the Whole debate - Amendment details: 3 Independent (Senator Pocock) agreed to; House agreed to Senate amendments.APH bill progress
High Speed Rail Authority Act 2022, No. 81, 2022; administered by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts; commencement table records the whole Act commenced on 12 June 2023.Federal Register Act metadata and Act text
Context
The bill was part of a long-running federal debate about high speed rail. Its practical legal job was narrow: create the High Speed Rail AuthorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia., set its functions and governance, and leave detailed project delivery questions to later planning and ministerial direction.
Bill introduced
The bill was introduced in the House and the minister moved the second reading.
APH and Hansard ↗Senate amended and passed the bill
The Senate agreed to three Pocock amendments, then passed the bill; the House agreed to the Senate amendments.
APH ↗Bill became an Act
The bill received Royal AssentThe formal approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act. as the High Speed Rail AuthorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia. Act 2022, Act No. 81 of 2022.
Federal Register of Legislation ↗Legislative route
The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives.
Introduced and read a first time
The minister moved the second reading.
Second reading moved
Members debated the bill.
Second reading debate
The House agreed to the bill at second reading.
Second reading agreed to
The House passed the bill and sent it to the Senate. Later message exchanges with the other chamber were still recorded afterwards.
Third reading agreed to
The bill was introduced in the Senate.
Introduced and read a first time
The Senate agreed to the bill at second reading.
Second reading agreed to
The APH progress page records that three Independent amendments moved by Senator Pocock were agreed to.
Committee of the WholeA Senate stage where detailed amendments to a bill can be considered. amendment agreed to
The Senate passed the bill with amendments.
Third reading agreed to
The House agreed to the Senate amendments.
The bill completed passage through both Houses.
The bill received Royal AssentThe formal approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act. and became the High Speed Rail AuthorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia. Act 2022.
AssentThe formal approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act.
Key criticism
Criticism in debate focused on delivery risk rather than the bill title or metadata: some speakers said another authorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia. could mean more planning without construction, questioned cost and value for money, or wanted stronger transparency and regional safeguards.
The page treats these as debate positions, not findings of fact about whether high speed rail should proceed.
Delivery risk
Some Coalition speakers argued that creating another authorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia. could repeat past planning cycles without committing to construction.
Oversight and transparency
Opposition and crossbench speakers sought stronger oversight, reporting or governance safeguards for the authorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia..
Cost and practicality
Some critics questioned whether high speed rail would be affordable or practical on the proposed routes.
Further sources
Votes
The bill passed both chambers on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage.
House agreed to the bill's third reading on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.
Passed on the voices
In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.
Senate agreed to the bill's third reading on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.
Passed on the voices
In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Catherine King supports the bill, saying it will create an independent authorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia. to finally progress high-speed rail and start work on the Sydney to Newcastle connection.
Read in Hansard ↗Fletcher opposes the bill, saying it creates an authorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia. and more talk but will not deliver any high-speed rail.
Read in Hansard ↗Rice says the Greens will support the bill because high-speed rail is essential for reducing emissions, improving regional connections and cutting flight noise.
Read in Hansard ↗Katter opposes the bill because he says the railway project is an expensive use of money that will not create economic return, and he would rather spend the funds on opening up the mineral province through a tunnel.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
6 speakers · 7 contributions · 6 support
“We are committed to nation building and infrastructure investment that plans for our country's future. That's why the minister for infrastructure—who's in the chamber with us now, I see—has initiated a review into Infrastructure Australia, and why we are legislating to establish the High Speed Rail Authority. No project captures the imagination of Australians quite like high-speed rail, and we are committed to realising the massive benefits that this project could bring. This is a long-term project, but with the pragmatic advice of the High Speed Rail Authority we can take a genuine path forward.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“In conclusion, I wholeheartedly support this bill. It's a long time coming, but it represents the new Labor government getting on with the job of planning better transport options for Australians and finally getting on with planning a high-speed rail network up and down the east coast of Australia.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The High Speed Rail Authority Bill 2022 is about building renewable powered transport for the next generation”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Catherine King on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Catherine King supports the bill, saying it will create an independent authorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia. to finally progress high-speed rail and start work on the Sydney to Newcastle connection. She argues it is a long-term nation-building project that will cut travel times, create jobs, and deliver economic and environmental benefits.
“The bill I'm introducing today will allow all of these things to finally happen in this parliament. We must not delay the Australian public any longer. Let's give our fellow Australians the bipartisan support to pass this bill to let the authority commence its work to make high-speed rail a reality and invest in our country's future.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Second reading speech
King says the government supports the bill because it creates the High Speed Rail AuthorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia. as the first step in a long-term national high-speed rail project. She argues the legislation is about setting up the planning authorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia., not deciding the later funding and construction details.
“The purpose of the bill is simply to establish the High Speed Rail Authority as the statutory agency. Our position is that the funding, financing, construction and operation of the rail network is not for this legislation in and of itself to determine.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
“The bill before us will establish the High Speed Rail Authority to develop, advise on and plan for a high-speed rail system in Australia.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I am proud to be part of an Albanese Labor government that is establishing a High Speed Rail Authority to oversee and plan the construction of high-speed rail down the east coast from Melbourne to Brisbane.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
11 speakers · 12 contributions · 9 support · 2 oppose
“So I have to say that I look with some scepticism at the nature of the measures that are contained in this bill. They won't deliver even one kilometre of very fast rail track. They'll set up an authority, and I'm sure it will have meetings in a range of desirable locations, and conferences and off-sites in a range of five-star hotels and so on. But the fact is that what matters in infrastructure is delivery.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“High-speed rail is important infrastructure, just like water infrastructure is going to be so important in the future. I commend what the government is doing here and support it. There will be some amendments needed, but, in principle, I'm very much in favour of it.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The government's bill before the Senate today is to establish a high-speed rail authority as an independent body to advise on, plan and develop a high-speed rail system in Australia. It was passed by the House of Representatives with the same amendments that are before the Senate. The coalition support the bill but will move our amendments that will improve the accountability and transparency of the authority to ensure there is representation on the authority's board from rural and regional Australia.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“On the basis of those comments, I welcome the opportunity to support this bill and I commend it to the House.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Turning to the bill, I want to say that I think this bill is a good thing. This bill is a good thing. I support high-speed rail. I support the establishment of an authority. I encourage the minister, to the extent that she can, when she is in discussions with Mark Bailey, to have in mind our project, the Sunshine Coast rail project, from Beerwah, Caloundra, Kawana, all the way through to the city centre in Maroochydore. Nothing less is viable; nothing less will be accepted. I encourage the minister, to the extent she can, that the design of that part of the works should be done as a high-speed project.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I call on any railway constructors to come on down and have a look at the beautiful Lyne electorate. We've got an unemployed workforce; they're in other industries now, but they know how to make trains. And we'd welcome them with open arms. I commend this bill to the House.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I support the creation of this High-Speed Rail Authority. As I said, there has been much work done over the years. I would not like to see it become another government body that does an enormous amount of good work, as I said earlier, but doesn't achieve any practical outcomes at the end of the day, where we don't see the delivery of, at least as a starting point, faster rail in our capital cities and in our large urban areas—as opposed to high-speed rail, because there is a significant step up and differential cost between fast rail and high-speed rail. I think that if we can achieve high-quality fast rail, in the first instance, to improve the quality and timeliness of our existing services, then ultimately, maybe, at some point down the track, that leads us to introduce high-speed rail.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“So, in giving support to this bill, much of what the opposition want to talk about in terms of what we would be asking for is around ensuring that there are arrangements for the Productivity Commission and Infrastructure Australia to undertake independent assessments of the cost-benefit analysis of high-speed rail.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I rise to speak on the High Speed Rail Authority Bill 2022 for a few minutes”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Perin Davey on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Davey opposes the bill, arguing it is another layer of planning and renaming rather than real rail construction. She says the government is recycling old proposals, splitting funding between agencies, and still not making the hard decision to build anything.
“We are setting up an agency with $500 million so they can do more planning, more desktop surveys and more reviews. They are not even going to be able to afford to purchase the rail corridor or easements.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Second reading speech
Davey says the government should stop renaming agencies and instead use the work already done to deliver high-speed rail, arguing that Australians need real progress rather than another administrative reset.
“I implore the government: instead of renaming another agency—instead of shuffling papers and bums on seats—actually look at the work that has been done. Look at the work that our government initiated with the Newcastle-to-Sydney faster rail upgrades, take that work and let's see something come to fruition instead of starting all over again and reinventing the wheel.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
“I would love to see high-speed rail. I think it will be great. I think it shows vision, and I compliment the Labor Party on that. If you've got a vision, that's great; that's what a nation needs. I look forward to it, and I hope that's the same vision you show in the future with high-paying, high-level manufacturing jobs that give people coming through high school the best opportunity of great jobs and the same vision you show with such things as small modular nuclear reactors.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
2 speakers · 1 support · 1 mixed
“In summary, we welcome this bill. It's a beginning, but there's so much more that needs to be done. For our future, for reducing our carbon pollution and for tranquil, pleasant cities, high-speed rail is absolutely essential.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“So it's commendable that the Labor government is finally making a first step, but there remain some gigantic question marks over the authority and the plan for delivery and service of this infrastructure. I think we all agree it's time to get moving on high-speed rail, and this bill is a good first step, but we need to ensure that we set up this crucial infrastructure to truly benefit all Australians long term. The government's current plan just leaves one wondering if the settings are absolutely right for that.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
1 speaker · 1 oppose
“Senator McKenzie will be moving an amendment to this bill that will introduce Productivity Commission oversight of proposals and a transparent reporting system. If this amendment is passed, this bill will gain the checks and balances it should have had all along, and One Nation will support it. Without those checks and balances, One Nation will oppose this bill. We have one flag, we are one community, we are one nation, and we don't lie for any reason—certainly not to the public to get votes.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
1 speaker · 1 oppose
“I'm speaking against this project because if I have a choice on spending the money it's for digging a lousy little one-kilometre or two-kilometre tunnel through that range to open up that giant mineral province stretching from Mareeba right across to Georgetown, almost to the Gulf of Carpentaria and below. To open it up, we need the tunnel. Now, that's a make-money project. Every single year there would be money pouring into the coffers of the government through tax revenue, whether it's PAYE tax or whether it's company tax or whatever the hell it is.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives.
House · Second reading moved
The minister moved the second reading.
House · Second reading debate
Members debated the bill.
House · Second reading agreed to
The House agreed to the bill at second reading.
House · Third reading agreed to
The House passed the bill and sent it to the Senate.
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
The bill was introduced in the Senate.
Senate · Second reading agreed to
The Senate agreed to the bill at second reading.
Senate · Committee of the Whole amendment agreed to
Senate agreed to three Pocock amendments
The APH progress page records that three Independent amendments moved by Senator Pocock were agreed to.
Senate · Third reading agreed to
The Senate passed the bill with amendments.
House · House agreed to Senate amendments
The House agreed to the Senate amendments.
Parliament · Finally passed both Houses
The bill completed passage through both Houses.
Governor-General · Assent
Act No. 81 of 2022
The bill received Royal AssentThe formal approval that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act. and became the High Speed Rail AuthorityThe statutory agency established by the Act to advise on, plan and develop high speed rail in Australia. Act 2022.
