‘Astonishing’: cost of Inland Rail doubles to $30bn as review savages Coalition over project

An independent review of the Inland Rail notes construction has already begun even though the end points of the route have not been decided. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

The predicted price tag of the Inland Rail megaproject has almost doubled in two years to more than $30bn, as an independent review savages the former Coalition government’s handling of the plan.

In her independent review of the Inland Rail, commissioned by the Albanese government last year and released on Thursday, Dr Kerry Schott also flagged further delivery delays of at least four years.