In July 2017, Infrastructure Australia reviewed the project's business case, and decided not to award the proposal the status of 'Project' on the Infrastructure Priority List. Infrastructure Australia considered that the benefits in the business case were significantly overstated, and that the costs of the project were likely to exceed its benefits.116
Infrastructure Australia continued to list the project as an 'Initiative', suggesting further business case development as a next step, until it was removed from the priority list in 2019, because construction had commenced.117
The Queensland Deputy Premier questioned the independence of Infrastructure Australia in light of its rejection of the Cross River Rail business case.118
____________________________________________________________________________
116. Infrastructure Australia (2017).
117. Infrastructure Australia (2020, p. 12).
118. Caldwell (2018).