Australia’s Inland Rail project will not proceed with its final stages, following new forecasts that point to a major cost increase and extended completion timeframe. Multiple outlets report that the latest estimates put the price tag at about $45 billion for the remaining work, framing the decision as a response to the revised budget outlook. The forecasts also indicate that, had the Albanese government chosen to continue, the project would likely not be finished until at least 2036. Sources agree that the shelving relates specifically to the “final stages” of Inland Rail rather than the broader program already underway. The reporting highlights the same key figures—an estimated $45 billion cost for the final stages and a potential completion date no earlier than 2036—implying that revised planning assumptions are driving the change in approach. Together, the accounts describe a shift away from pursuing the last phase after the updated cost and schedule risks become clear, without detailing alternative plans in the cited articles.