Australia's answer to Rumpole. It makes you proud to be descended from convicts.

Jack, CityRail and Sydney buses may not be visible on each others’ websites, but the route planning phone and web service 131500.com.au works across all services including ferries. There was much community lobbying for the Lane Cove tunnel which was delivered under a public private partnership and has gone broke. But the Roads Authority has form when it comes to plundering such projects and has more influence when it comes to accessing public funds then the public transport folk. I’m not convinced public opinion, which is so easily influenced by spin doctors, has the expertise to prioritise transport projects just as they would not be skilled at appointing many people (e.g., judges or even dog catchers) to public office.

Since we live in a land of droughts and flooding rains, it does not do any harm to remind people this comes with a periodic cost of infrastructure repair. Living within our means has been pretty well ingrained and has stood us in good stead when elsewhere there has been economic discomfort. Better to have a small levy, and it IS small, to contribute to the current repairs while the events are still fresh in our minds, rather than put it on tick, in case another one is around the corner. As it has proved to be with Cyclone Yasi which has come and gone since the other comments on this story were made. Besides it has given the nation an insight into the character of the Leader of Opposition, whose policy is to leave no opportunity for base politics unexploited. We have a song, which some treat as an alternative national anthem, its chorus includes the words “I am, you are, we are Australian”. But it does not apply to the Opposition whose loyalty must be seriously questioned as it seeks donations to support a campaign to oppose the levy.

Whatever the merits of metros and metros in Vancouver in particular, there is no question the existing double deckers are ideal for CityRail. Metro proponents were always on about dwell times. What is the point of stressing about dwells times when city-bound trains load in small numbers at widely dispersed stations and unload almost exclusively in at Redfern, Central and the chaos that is Town Hall station after far fewer changes of train than is usual in other city networks. The Christie Report correctly stressed the problems of Town Hall station none of which would be alleviated by more doors on trains. Clearly a rail system cannot be designed for special events but I am always amazed how quickly the city is emptied after major events like the New Years Eve fireworks thanks to the incredible capacity of the double deck carriages. Happily enough of us have travelled on overcrowded London Tube trains not to be conned by those with a vested interest in metros

It is not so much bus vs train as public vs private transport. iPods allow commuters (including drivers) to listen to the provided content. But iPads permit the realistic consumption of written material including magazines, educational and work related content. The screen size on iPhones and iPad Touches do not make reading a pleasant experience. If this material is downloaded before your journey starts, the availability of WiFi isn’t really a big deal. And if your journey or part of it is by bus, just switch to audio for that part of the journey; you can keep listening while you walk too.

Jase: Perhaps the consultants weren't highly paid, even if they deserve to be. I’d like to see these (and certainly future) reports formatted to landscape so it is easier to read full pages on a computer. And ePub version would be nice too as the issues require careful study (while commuting?). Having read the double deck v single deck carriage chapter, I was blown away by how brilliant was the original design of the double deck trains (as amended) for Sydney travel patterns. I was concerned by the extent to which politicians have effectively mandated “metros” and bullied public servants and consultants to sing their praises in harmony when they are clearly inappropriate. We have lots of eggs in Town Hall station when it come to capacity issues but this seems to have been ignored by Nathan. How much other policy work in other areas is done this way? So much for frank and fearless advice from Public Servants.

How quickly (and unnecessarily) the PM has undone much of the goodness of the Apology. This was an opportunity to explain how well our borders are already “protected” and that arrival within the border does not guaranteed a right to remain, but he squibbed it. That’s what leadership is, Kevin. But Justin, where does “bounty” come from? If we ask Indonesia to prevent people leaving their ports when they are no doubt happy to see them go, is it not proper we should cover the costs of keeping these people sheltered and fed? If you stay at a motel or a B&B, do you pay a “bounty”? At the same time Turnbull’s agreeing the boats could include terrorists just lets Kevin off the hook when it comes to credibility.

Your discussion on Packer v Stokes overlooked an important emerging potential development: the improved time shifting facilities delivered by personal video recorders. Speaking for myself, there is more on ABC 1 and SBS 1 alone than I can consume. The problem is much of this small palette of content is not necessary on when it suits me to consume it. Roll on the useful Tivo. But wait, there is more: in the case of SBS and, to a lesser extent, the ABC with unwanted station breaks, I can remove the non program material as well! The huge choice of channels on Pay TV would profit me nothing if the programs are not on when it suits and then I would required to pay for content AND suffer commercials too! Not for PVR users. And all of this when James Murdoch is complaining about unfair competition from the BBC.

Mathew, For your assertion to have merit, the vote tallying process should have been far more transparent. Or even transparent at all. Are you saying it was and everyone should be relaxed and comfortable?