The Canberra light-rail was entirely political. No party supported it, but the election was hung, and the ALP bought the support of the sole independent by agreeing to build the useless and costly light rail.

Until new technology can redesign Aircraft engines & fuel, air travel will draw the shorter straw.
Throw a little virus into the basket & air travel will stop. Remember COVID-19 ?
Overseas travel will go back to ships because the time spent at sea will help isolate passengers infected before they're half-way to here.
Various Decks can be used for isolation & treatment. So, no more RUBY PRINCESS scenario.
Bon Voyage !

But, but, but Individual, going by previous experience surely that
will mean a shipload of virus infected passengers ?
I think the ventilation system of ships came under deep suspicion.

Hopefully by the time it all comes to a head covid19 will be like
another influenza.

the ventilation system of ships came under deep suspicion.
Bazz,
Yes, that WAS the case. However, with a few alterations the ventilation can be modified for selected Decks.
One section of Deck could easily be made an islolation Deck & so on. After several days at sea they will find who is + & who is not & accommodate them in the relevant Deck.
Perhaps Air Ships could be re-introduced ? What it really all boils down to is that airplane travel is now too fast & willy nilly hence the fast spreading of COVID-19.

Going back to Rail, a Mono rail system would probably be the most practical & economic of all.
As I said earlier & many times before that, being overhead, much industrial real estate would become available within city limits. Forget large areas for boarding platforms & stations. A Monorail could easily stop at 2nd floor shopping centres etc. Forget ticketing, we all just pay an extra Dollar a week to cover the passenger side & freight can be charged as per normal.
Cleaning of the carriages could be part of a National Service or for those who have a fear of that word, for those filling in a Gap year !
For the cost of one single overpass & one bridge we could probably get 150 km of Mono Rail !
Scenic routes would attract sightseers. Imagine a Mono Rail crossing Lake Eyre to new settlements on the other shore once it is flooded permanently ? Opportunities are literally begging for people with foresight & patience.

Regarding monorails:
Why did they dismantle the one at Sydney and the one at Jupiter's Casino, Broadbeach.
I enjoyed being on them but they just disappeared.