Mr Bennett asked the Minister for Transport, upon notice:

(1)   Will future tenders for sleepers be called in alternative materials, and will the basis of any evaluation be published.

(2)   Has any regard been given to the environmental aspects of the decision to use concrete sleepers.

(3)   If so, what were the findings.

Mr Charles Jones - The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

(1)   I have already announced that tenders for both timber and concrete sleepers will be called for future sleeper requirements for the remaining sections of the Trans Australian Railway and also for new line construction such as the proposed lines between Tarcoola and Alice Springs and Adelaide and Crystal Brook. These tenders will be evaluated by the Bureau of Transport Economics and the Bureau's reports containing these evaluations will be published.

(2)   Yes.

(3)   It was assessed that the effects on the environment of using either type of sleeper would be approximately the same.