Australia's dream of having a high speed rail network connecting its major cities is no closer to reality now than it was when it was first suggested in the 70s.

Sure, plenty of pollies have blown a lot of hot air over the idea over the years, but like all politicians they are all talk, no action.

Readers of this paper will be very familiar with the suggestion of building a road tunnel under the Blue Mountains to improve Bathurst's access to Sydney.

I think this plan doesn't go far enough.

Hear me out: Underground High Speed Rail. It has all the benefits of high speed rail and none of the drawbacks like having to buy up valuable farming land as rail corridors.

The problem is not the cost or logistics of building a tunnel the length of a continent as well as a high speed rail network, but lack of vision and action from leaders.