Herald Sun: Tunnel vision on track

THE $38 billion transport package will revolutionise the way you move around this city. It will also change the way goods are moved.

Train travel will become quicker and less prone to disruptions with construction of a $9.5 billion tunnel from Footscray to Caulfield. Stations are expected in the university and hospital precinct in Parkville, at the Domain interchange and possibly in the CBD. The project is designed to carry about 40,000 passengers an hour.

SMH: Oil falls to lowest in almost four years

THE price of crude oil fell to the lowest in almost four years after a report showed the US economy lost the most jobs in November in 34 years, signalling the recession is getting worse.

Oil fell to $US42 a barrel, the lowest since January 2005, after the Labor Department said the US lost 533,000 jobs last month. Prices fell 22 per cent last week after the US, the world's biggest fuel consumer, was declared to be in a recession.

SMH: Axed rail link had glowing report card

THE shelved North West Metro would carry 50 million passengers a year and was the "optimal solution" to the problem of Sydney's congestion, according to a report by a panel of experts set up to examine the proposal.

The ambitious $12 billion underground line was announced in March by the former premier, Morris Iemma, and dumped by his successor, Nathan Rees, at the end of October.

North-west Star: Energy addressed

THE Mount Isa to Townsville Economic Zone members have thrown their support behind a project to help solve the North West’s crippling energy supply problems.

At its meeting in Charters Towers last week MITEZ members were united in their support for a new AC power-line from the national electricity grid to the North-West, provided the energy was delivered at acceptable prices for consumers.

SMH: Libs fume at Tripodi bid to overturn ethanol deal

JOE TRIPODI led a desperate rearguard action in state cabinet to defeat the Government's plans to mandate the use of ethanol in petrol, declaring it would drive up the price of wheat, after discussions with a close friend, the chief executive of Allied Mills Australia, Joe Di Leo.

SMH: No guarantees on return of gas supply

APACHE, the US oil and natural-gas producer that operates on five continents, said it could not guarantee its gas plant at Varanus Island off Western Australia would return to full capacity this month.

"Apache will not be drawn on the date when repairs are concluded and gas supplies are returned to pre-incident levels," said a spokesman, David Parker, in a telephone interview in Perth.

Courier Mail: No free-for-all

WHILE pressure on public transport networks has increased, political leadership so far has been unable to step up to the challenge.

Transport economists around the nation were developing nervous twitches this week after the failed experiment in "free" public transport in Melbourne was followed by a threat from the Queensland Opposition to do the same in Brisbane.