But Member for Goulburn Pru Goward remains adamant it is a great  idea for regional NSW. She also responded to comments that it was a ‘political stunt’. 

“This is a wonderful announcement – it’s about a plan for the future of the state and planning is what good governments do. By contrast, our Labor opponents have no plan for regional NSW, as usual,” Ms Goward said.

“The Labor candidate has called it a political stunt but clearly has no concept of regional NSW, or the population pressure on Sydney and the need for us to create further development in regional parts of the state.

“In time, all of these routes (including Goulburn and Orange) will need to be developed which is why we need a plan.

“Where is Labor’s plan for regional linkages across NSW? They’ll need to do better than Bob Carr’s ‘Sydney is full’ line, which was followed by exactly nothing.”

She said people would see a staged plan that would improve train travel times. 

“You will not see tracks being laid in the next six months, but you will see a staged plan for improved train travel times,” she said. 

“Straightening parts of the track will of itself boost travel time and also allow us to use faster trains such as tilt trains.

“The government knows we cannot build all this high-speed rail at once but that it absolutely needs to be done to future proof us.

“The deputy premier has already said we will start with track realignment and for people who use our train services this will be very welcome news.

“It’s no longer an if but a when. I’m so proud to be part of a government that understands the potential of regional areas like ours. It’s a powerful vision – let’s get it done!”

On her  Facebook page, she added: “it’s up to Professor Andrew McNaughton and his team to develop a staged plan that will, over a couple of decades, take us from a 3.5-hour commute from Goulburn to Sydney down to a 2-hour trip and eventually a 30-minute trip.”

Meanwhile, Goulburn resident and long-time train commuter Barry McDonald has written to the Goulburn Post saying: “could somebody pinch me and tell me there isn't a state election coming?”

“Once again the promise of High Speed Rail (HSR) has awoken from its four-year hibernation just three months before the March 23 general election.  We've been hearing it from every government for the last 20 years,” Mr McDonald said. 

“There have been umpteen feasibility, route planning and development studies done, which all point to viability in slightly varying ways.  Now an overseas academic is to be engaged to do more.

“I'm probably getting older and more cynical as time goes by but its called  'life experience' - listening to the same promise throughout life.

“I expect the latest HSR proposal will be put back in hibernation from March 24, regardless of who wins the next state election.”

The State Government has identified four routes that are within 300km from Sydney, with a Southern Inland Route including Goulburn and Canberra that has a proposed travel time of one hour from Sydney to Canberra.