In the interests of even-handed reporting, since we get well-loaded here
with reports of NSW cost blowouts - it's worth mentioning that it's a
universal phenomenon across Australia:

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/victorian-budget-2021-big-build-s-transport-blowouts-are-costing-5m-a-day-20210519-p57td3.html
(including Melbourne Metro blowout of $2.74 billion and level crossing
removal about $1 billion iirc)

https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/secret-deal-settles-rail-cost-blowout-ng-ya-247812
(that's the same Mandurah line that was often hailed as a fine example of
economical rail construction until the truth came out)

All states have dirty little financial secrets, some are concealed better
than others. It seems to be a general local cultural problem. Let's make
the best of a bad thing and be glad that these public transport projects
are actually being built after more than half a century of nothing
happening. That doesn't excuse the profligate costs, but the outcomes are
usually good. Even the blowouts that are really gross and produce slightly
flawed outcomes, like CSELR, soon fade into the mists of history.

Tony P

On Thursday, 17 June 2021 at 18:23:22 UTC+10gregsut...@...
wrote:

>

>

> https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw-government-understates-true-cost-of-westconnex-by-billions-20210617-p581yc.html

>

>

>