Under the original SDA signed in 2002, the state was not required to make any payment to the concessionaire until completion of construction and hand over of operations. At this point, the 30-year concession period would begin, and the SCSA would commence quarterly core service payments (CSPs) to the concessionaire. Figure 3A provides an outline of the CSPs.
Figure 3A Core service payments
| Cost component | Cost per quarter ($ million) | Total cost ($ million) | Description |
| Capital | (a) 5.8 | (b) 1120 | Reimburses the concessionaire for the cost of redevelopment of the station. |
| Operating | (a) 2 | (b) 433 | Compensates the concessionaire for managing the operations of the station for the 30-year concession period |
| insurance | One quarter of the annual insurance premium. |
| Compensates the concessionaire for insuring the operations of the station for the 30-year concession period. |
(a) Base amount to be indexed according to a formula in the SDA.
(b) Nominal value.
Source: Victorian Auditor-General's Office analysis of SCSA documents.
Due to the delays in completing construction, the SCSA withheld payment of the CSP from 27 April 2005 (the original date for completion). As a result of the global settlement agreement, the SCSA agreed to pay the capital component of the CSP from 27 April 2005.
This means effectively that the concession period for the capital and operating components has been split. Figure 3B shows the revised dates for commencement of the concession periods.
Figure 3B Southern Cross Station's 30-year concession period
| Core service payment | Effective date |
| Capital | 27 April 2005 |
| Operating and insurance | 1 August 2008 (a) |
(a) The commencement of the operating phase.
Source: Victorian Auditor-General's Office analysis of SCSA documents.