The Turnbull Government announced that they have a spare $5 billion to give to Victoria to build an airport link.
The only problem is that there already exists an airport link.
Unlike our politicians when I fly into Melbourne I have to pay for transport out of my own pocket.
At Melbourne airport I step out of the arrivals hall and across the road and get onto the "Smart Bus" No 901 which is waiting to take me to Melbourne.
This service is used by passengers from Frankston, Ringwood and then to and from the airport.
I take the bus to Broadmeadows Station that links to all of Melbourne.
You might ask the cost for pensioners .It is $3:50 from the airport to any suburb of Melbourne .
How long does it take to get into the centre of Melbourne. Much quicker than the privately subsided Skybus.

Dear BROCK,

Thanks for sharing that with us - it sounds great.

However, the intention of a rail link is to minimise
the number of transfers from various modes of
transport by providing a rail link to Southern Cross
Station connecting to all other rail systems in
Melbourne. Of course that won't please everybody but
the greater majority would benefit.

For international tourists, a rail link into the city
where most would stay in prominent hotels would be
great for the tourist industry.

I have used that so called Smartbus - although when I did the stop was hard to find and far from the terminal. I've heard that problem's been fixed, but a single bus route is still woefully inadequate. Even so, this plan is poor value for money. A high speed railway, running nonstop from Melbourne Airport to Southern Cross (mostly in tunnel) would be much better, and could eventually be the basis of high speed lines to Sydney, Adelaide and country Victoria. Extending the Airport West tramway to the airport would also be worthwhile, and the two are completely compatible.

Forgive my lack of understanding but how can you have "a spare $5 billion" when Australia is many times that in debt?

It's very simple, Philip S:
We own the Reserve Bank.
As long as we stick to the present policy of borrowing only in Australian dollars, our credit is unlimited. It is literally impossible for Australia to run out of money.

Okay but the more money you print without anything to back it up the more worthless it becomes.