The new High Speed Rail Authority, tasked with overseeing development of the high-speed east coast rail network, will formally begin operations on June 13.

Legislation for the statutory body was introduced last September.

The new statutory body will be chaired by Port of Brisbane board member Jill Roussouw, who is also currently executive director of infrastructure at IFM investors.

The federal government also on Monday announced Gillian Brown, Diane Crowther, Ian Hun and Neil Scales as board members.

Ms Crowther is CEO of High Speed One, which owns and operates the UK’s high speed railway; Ms Brown is a current Ausgrid director and Mr Hunt is a non-executive director of the Canberra Light Rail.

Mr Scales is currently a chair of Austroads, a commissioner of the National Transport Commission and a member of the Queensland Transport and Logistics Council, and was was most recently Director-General of the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads. 

The first priority of the Authority will be planning and corridor works for the Sydney to Newcastle section of the high-speed rail network, Infrastructure minister Catherine King said in a statement.

It will also advance plans for other sections of the high-speed network, which will eventually connect Brisbane to Melbourne.

The network could allow passengers to travel between major cities and regional centres at speeds exceeding 250 kilometres per hour, Ms King said.

The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) has welcomed the appointment of the chair and board members.

“High Speed Rail in Australia is a visionary and nation-building project that has been discussed for decades. It is great to see the government finalising the HSRA Board appointments and we look forward to engaging with the Authority moving forward,” CEO Caroline Wilkie said.

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