This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Labor will be betting on “proven” technologies such as high-speed rail, Anthony Albanese says, and leaving “hypothetical” tech such as Elon Musk’s Hyperloop to gestate for a while before looking to it as the answer to Australia’s transportation solution.

A Los Angeles transport and technology company has suggested the Hyperloop could solve Australia’s distance problem, floating the idea to a federal parliamentary inquiry looking at land-based transport and automation developments.

The technology, which remains untested, involves magnetic capsules levitating in tubes where the air pressure has been reduced to levels to allow for almost no air friction, enabling travel at speeds of up to 1,223km/h.

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Musk raised the idea in a 2012 speech. Since then, tech companies have worked to make it a reality, but so far no government has bitten.

The US-based Hyperloop Transportation Technologies wants the Australian government to aid with a feasibility study while also partnering with it in adapting the technology for Australia’s eastern seaboard.

Albanese said he preferred tested methods for Australia’s taxpayer funds, at least in this case.

“Well look, the Hyperloop is of course at this stage hypothetical and what I support is proven technology,” he said. “We have proven technology available for high-speed rail here in Australia, particularly down the east coast from Brisbane, through Sydney, to Canberra and Melbourne.

“What that would do is reduce the commute times to under three hours between Sydney and Brisbane.

“Now I flew up to Brisbane this morning, it took me more than three hours door to door, even though I live practically under the runway at Kingsford Smith airport. The fact is, high-speed rail is competitive.

“My view is we need to advance that project, which is why I have a private member’s bill to create a high-speed rail authority before the parliament.”

Albanese won a vote in the parliament to see a high-speed rail authority created, with the crossbench coming on board in support earlier this month. While it was not the absolute majority needed to force the debate, Labor sees it as an indication it would have the needed support to establish the first step in a high-speed rail line for Australia, if it wins power at the next election.

As Labor’s transport spokesman, Albanese said he would be traveling to San Francisco next month to investigate new transport technologies that have been developed along the US’s west coast.

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“We need to be cognisant of the fact that technologies are available right now which would reduce time of travel not just between Sydney and Brisbane but importantly from Brisbane to the Gold Coast and regional areas like Lismore and really open up that regional economic development along that corridor, which would really take pressure off our capital cities.”

A high-speed rail along Australia’s east coast has been suggested by governments since Malcolm Fraser was in power but distance, cost and jurisdictional differences between the states had stymied each suggestion, to the point it is still in the proposal stage almost 40 years later.

Albanese picked up the case almost five years ago and has vowed to make it a reality, with Labor to establish the high-speed rail authority if it wins government.