## 5 Discussion of the Australian HSR Risks
### The Benefits of Implementing HSR in Australia  
There are arguments that Australia does not need an HSR network, primarily due to its population distribution and the potential limited impact. Many academic studies point to Australia's relatively low population density along the proposed HSR routes, suggesting that only a few people will benefit from its implementation. However, P1 highlights that approximately 60% of Australia's population lives on the East Coast. Over the next 25 years, Australia is set to grow in population by circa 30% [61]. P1 notes that while other regions, such as the UK, parts of Europe, and the US, are experiencing moderate population growth, and Japan is declining, Australia is on track for significant expansion. Given this trajectory, P1 emphasises that investing in HSR is ultimately a matter of strategic choice, as the country will inevitably need to accommodate a growing population and increasing urban congestion. This aligns with forecasts from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which project continued population growth, reinforcing the potential value of HSR in easing pressure on major cities. The interviews found that a choice to invest in HSR is believed to make Australia's future prosperous. The survey results analysed by AHP also ranked a prosperous Australian future in the top 10 percentile, compared to the other themes in the survey. P9 Minister for Transport also agrees with this. In a letter directed towards this research, she mentioned HSR will be _\"delivering more job and lifestyle choices, greater housing options and new economic opportunities\"_. These benefits are also supported by P1 and the literature review conducted in [3]. In the context of the Sydney to Newcastle corridor, several interviewees, including P3, P1, P4, and P2, support the concept of \"Newcastle 2.0\". They argue that HSR could transform Newcastle into a hub by enhancing connectivity and unlocking land value along the corridor. P2 further emphasised that the primary beneficiaries of HSR would not necessarily be those living in Sydney or Newcastle but rather surrounding area residents. Those in regions such as Gosford, Goulburn, and Albury-Wodonga would gain improved access to economic opportunities and essential services through enhanced transport connections, making HSR a catalyst for regional development. Interestingly, the survey ranked both personal and community impacts low, around 0.6, indicating only a 60% significance compared to other key ideas. This suggests that participants, many of whom reside in metropolitan Sydney, do not perceive significant personal benefits from HSR, aligning with P2's statement that the broader region can gain more. Sydney trains are widely described at an unreliable mode of transport due to the frequent signalling and union issues. [PERSON] attests and describes our current Sydney train systems as \"_slow_\" and \"_unreliable_\". He claimed that patrons would, as a result, experience a big and noticeable difference. These would come in the form of reliability and time-saving. A notion was also attested by authors [PERSON] and [PERSON] [62], who noted China's extensive HSR network as reliable through an evaluation index and a great influence on the local community. This has also been widely accepted by other authors, particularly [PERSON], who wrote about HSR's dependable operational reliability compared to air and road travel [24; 63]. Authors like [PERSON] [64] also commend HSR's reliability compared to even regional rail, as attested in this research's interviews. [PERSON] reinforced this notion, emphasising that reliability and time savings are among the most tangible benefits of HSR. Sustainability is another critical factor. Australia's East Coast is primarily serviced by air travel [65]. HSR could significantly reduce emissions by providing a greener alternative, as noted by P2, P8, and P1. This shift would contribute to reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.