You used to be able to set your clock by it. Whenever Anthony Albanese mentioned his vision for high-speed rail, you knew an election was brewing. In 2013, when the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd era was drawing to a close, the then Infrastructure Minister formed the High Speed Rail Advisory Group after a feasibility study recommended the concept be advanced.

Tony Abbott won the election that year and said, in customary fashion, "No!" The group was disbanded. Albo raised high-speed rail again in 2016, 2019 and, yep, 2022. In January, as opposition leader, he again called for the country to get on board. The vision: to connect the east coast capitals with a high speed rail network.

And this month, there was movement at the station when Infrastructure Minister Catherine King announced the formation of 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 this project could bring," she said. "This is a long-term project, but with the pragmatic advice of the High Speed Rail Authority we can take a genuine path forward."

The government has committed $500 million to getting the ball rolling. How far it will actually roll, though, probably depends on how long Labor stays in government. Incoming Coalition governments have a habit of squashing Labor visions - just as Dr No did the last time around.

The cruel fact is, we're so far behind with high-speed rail, it's not going to be knocked up this term, the next or the one after that. As Minister King said, it's long-term.

High-speed rail appeals because it stirs nation-building pride in the same way the Snowy Mountains scheme did. It also helps with decarbonising the economy by taking cars off the road and will energise regional centres. And, apart from Sydney commuters crammed every day into unreliable suburban carriages, there's a lot of romance about train travel. Sitting back, watching the countryside flash by until you're lulled to sleep by the rhythm of the track is one of life's great pleasures.

There aren't the same stresses and discomforts of air travel: being "processed" through security like sausages; having the large bloke with the bladder issue in the window seat climb over you every hour to get to the dunny; or trying to suppress murderous thoughts about the restless child in the row behind who keeps coughing and kicking the back of your seat.

One of the most scenic rail journeys is from Sydney to Bomaderry on the NSW South Coast. It travels through bucolic countryside into Wollongong then winds its way up the escarpment, offering spectacular views of the ocean before entering the grimy urban rail network. That network is so congested, the trip actually takes longer now than when the service began in the late 19^th century - you could call it very slow rail. And if the line was part of a nation-building vision back when it opened, it was short-lived. A rail bridge was thrown over the Shoalhaven River but the train never followed. There wasn't the population to support it. That old bridge, worn out by a century of cars and trucks, is being replaced by another concrete structure.

I'm a great fan of rail. As a child, I was taken the length and breadth of India on trains, some of which were still drawn by steam locomotives. Memories of the clamour, the curious faces of fellow travellers, the char wallahs selling their wares at every station will stay with me forever. The high-speed trains of Europe, while not as romantic, were a much more pleasant alternative to going by plane. And the Surf Train from Los Angeles to San Diego in California in winter offered snow capped peaks out one side and a sun setting over rolling surf out the other.

Romance and reality are two different beasts, though. Back when the 2013 high-speed rail feasibility study was done, it predicted a 2.15 return on every dollar invested. By the time we get near to seeing the vision realised, the costs would have risen exponentially. Urban sprawl has grown around the cities high speed rail will connect, making land acquisition more problematic and expensive. Construction costs will have grown too. Figuring all this out is the hard work facing the new authority.

Fingers crossed - my fingers anyway - it will lay the groundwork before the train has left the station - or before a new government is elected and scuppers the vision.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Is high speed rail something you'll see in your lifetime? Or have you heard it all before? Is it a worthy vision or a money sink? Are there memorable train trips you've done? Or would like to do? Email us: echidna@theechidna.com.au

SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

- Member for the NSW seat of Monaro Nichole Overall has called for an immediate assessment of the Brumbies control program under way in Kosciuszko National Park. The Nationals member has voiced concerns the cull was not being conducted in accordance with the management plan, which would reduce the number of feral horses in the park to 3000 within the next five years. Ms Overall released a statement saying the community needed confidence the plan was being delivered as envisaged, with animal welfare front and centre.

- An election promise to establish a federal anti-corruption body by the end of the year is a "recipe for a rushed job", experts warn, as pressure mounts on the federal government to deliver the comprehensive new watchdog. Legislation for the Albanese government's national anti-corruption commission was due to be released this week before being delayed by Queen Elizabeth II's death last Friday. Public integrity expert, and Transparency International Australia board member, Professor AJ Brown warned it was more important to get it done right, rather than quickly, or expect years of tweaks and amendments.

- Online betting will be put under the microscope as a parliamentary inquiry targets its impacts on people with gambling problems. The House of Representatives' social policy and legal affairs committee is calling for submissions from interested parties, particularly recommendations on improving consumer protections aimed at reducing problem gambling.

THEY SAID IT: "High-speed rail would revolutionise interstate travel and would also be an economic game-changer for dozens of regional communities along its path." - Anthony Albanese

YOU SAID IT: Goats being used to help with fire hazard reduction. And a bit more on the monarchy-republic conversation.

Darrell isn't convinced goats will help: "We've allowed forests to become almost decimated and then did a complete 180 and locked them up... now creating a scenario for a catastrophe. Having worked within the forests and with some of the older foresters, one becomes in tune with how nature works, but we've become greedy from one extreme to another and forgotten about how to work in harmony with Mother Nature. The Aboriginal people used to have 'fuel reduction burns' which eliminated the fuels and helped germinate of the seeds dropped by the older growth. This keeps the forest floors clean of fuel buildup and simultaneously generates vibrant new growth and a healthy environment for the animals, forests and people alike. Unfortunately, goats will clean up the forest floor and they propagate, multiply and become destructive." The trial uses portable fencing to keep the goats contained within a small cell.

Arthur says: "Goats may not be perfect but we need every resource and tool available to us fight bushfires. Send the goats in and ignore the inevitable protests from the greenies. Goats also do an excellent job on blackberries. We ought to remember too that cattle kept fuel loads to safer levels in the Southern Highlands before graziers were prevented from using the highlands with disastrous consequences."

Paul points out the damage caused by feral goats: "Just go to Broken Hill and look at the ongoing devastation caused by goats. So maybe bring in rabbits and cane toads to totally devastate the environment. Of course there will be a goat outbreak. You can't selectively burn, you can't selectively clear (or its economically prohibitive) and reducing the fire load is not selective either. The issue is keeping population centres away from native forests and that isn't going to happen. People like trees and want to live amongst them."

Lee says, "Cell grazing goats is a similar concept to mosaic burning that is a traditional way of managing overgrowth. The concept is solid and, yes, we need to do something. The only concern I have is that goats eat everything. Are they harming the trees that should be there? I expect not otherwise they would be removed, however, it's worth an ask."

Another Paul says it will be slow hazard reduction: "To state the obvious, at a quarter hectare per two weeks, we are probably going to need a few more goats. And when the drought comes, do we buy feed or euthanise them? I can see the nanny state people objecting to the latter and coming up with a goat exchange program across the Pacific to take advantage of the opposite weather patterns. Nevertheless, I agree goats are a useful tool in the fire protection armoury that can be used in selected areas and for small landholders (just try to avoid the cranky ones). After living through several droughts I try not to complain about the wet weather - but I live on a hill."

On the monarchy, Jay says: "I've been reading your daily email for a couple of weeks, I like it. While I have had enough of the coverage of the death of the Queen, and read the tone of the coverage as indicating the mainstream Australian media is supportive of retaining the UK monarchy, I do have one question. If we love monarchy so much, can't Australia constitute our own monarchy? A good example is that less than 200 years ago, Belgium assessed a constitutional monarchy as the most stable form of government for a new country. Most Belgians will admit the monarchy is one of the only things holding their nation together. So why can't we crown a random Australian as head of state, and roll on? This seems so obvious, I think it must be a dumb question." Jay, not at all.

And from Annie: "This has been pounding through my mind all day. Growing up in dark post-war paternalistic England. An England proud of its regained apparent supremacy - at least morally. So they believed. Early imbibing cast distinctions and why I should talk with a 'naice' accent. Early adulthood coming to perceive the class distinctions and loathing them. And what leads all that? Royalty at the top. How could someone like Boris Johnson ever deserve to lead a country:? The naice accent. The privileged background. Are we moving dangerously close to this in Australia? With even Labor governments not daring to challenge the status quo of privilege? From education through to leadership in so many fields. Time we stopped looking back and considered how to safeguard our precious society against becoming a society even more divided."