Perhaps I am wrong . . . but I thought very fast trains between city pairs such as Melbourne and Sydney can achieve ‘point to point’ passenger transfers that rival air travel. I know it works in Europe and parts of Asia.
From the Minister's Foreword (my bolding)
In the generation following the Second World War, we moved from a society where distance was overcome by trains and ships to one connected by the speed, efficiency and convenience of air transport. Despite our increasing reliance on electronic communications today, when we need to connect physically with business associates or with friends and family in distant places, we will continue, perhaps more than ever, to rely on air services.