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by admin — last modified May 27, 2009 12:58 PM
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The crazy things people say — by Kristen Hulsey — last modified Oct 19, 2011 12:17 PM
The rail industry is not the only provider of “easy target” stories for the media, but it often seems that the smallest story involving rail attracts more than its fair share of negative and unsubstantiated comment.
Government still ignoring benefits of rail — by Kristen Hulsey — last modified Oct 19, 2011 12:37 PM
It has been obvious for many years that rail has the most to offer when it comes to providing the best transport solutions with the potential to alleviate carbon emissions and improve our quality of life, but unfortunately the message still does not seem to be getting through to our politicians.
Infrastructure Australia & rail in 2011 — by Kristen Hulsey — last modified Oct 19, 2011 12:11 PM
In Part 2 of this Special 2-Part Series, Mark Carter continues to examine the rail projects that made Infrastructure Australia's 2011 Infrastructure Priority List and looks at the issue, where will the money come from to fund them?
Infrastructure Australia and rail in 2011 — by Kristen Hulsey — last modified Oct 19, 2011 12:07 PM
Infrastructure Australia’s annual report to the Council of Australian Governments has emphasised the urgent need to reform the financing of major infrastructure projects across Australia.
High-speed sustainability — by Mark Carter — last modified May 18, 2011 11:07 AM
Opponents of high-speed rail (HSR) have been given a boost by news reports filtering out of China that the HSR program there is in trouble. Do they have a point or is it just opportunistic ranting to undermine a technology that conflicts with their own particular ideology?
Viewpoint: Going loco in our old age — by Rail Express — last modified Apr 13, 2011 10:51 AM
At a recent Grain Logistics conference in Melbourne hosted by Informa, Australasian Railway Association (ARA) chief exectuive Bryan Nye highlighted the ageing nature of Australia’s locomotive fleets, but are things really as bad as they seem?
Where there is optimism, there are bound to be challenges — by Rail Express — last modified Mar 16, 2011 12:00 PM
There are a plenty of positives around the rail industry for us to look forward to a bright future, but as several recent issues show, the industry needs to be ever vigilant in order to capitalise on its strengths and successes, writes Mark Carter.
Viewpoint: Running with or against the grain? — by Rail Express — last modified Dec 01, 2010 10:54 AM
Not so long ago it would have been safe to assume that close to 100% of the annual grain harvest would be moved to port by rail, but numerous changes within the rail and grain industries have turned the task into what some are now calling a “logistics nightmare”.
The growing cost of road dependency — by Rail Express — last modified Sep 22, 2010 09:38 AM
The Australasian railway Association (ARA) has called for government to consider the high costs associated with Australia’s transport use when making decisions on future transport networks. Will government listen?
Government support crucial to rail safety reform — by Rail Express — last modified Sep 07, 2010 02:08 PM
Australia’s rail industry is concerned that maintaining the current good progress on rail safety regulatory reform is proving to be a major challenge for both the commonwealth and state and territory governments, writes Phil Sochon*.
Getting our priorities right — by Rail Express — last modified Jul 07, 2010 12:22 PM
Projects that did not make Infrastructure Australia’s latest priority infrastructure list for federal funding are of more interest than those that did, according to Mark Carter.
Public perception off the rails — by Rail Express — last modified Jun 09, 2010 11:57 AM
A couple of pretty negative rail stories have passed across my desk recently, so I thought it was about time to revisit a particular hobby horse of mine – the perception of the rail industry in the broader community.
High-speed rail: the Green alternative — by Rail Express — last modified Jun 09, 2010 12:02 PM
In between salary cap breaches and tax reviews, for a brief moment the Australian Greens managed to gain a few column inches in the media with their call for a $10 million study into the future viability of high-speed rail in Australia.
Queensland miners and government square off over sale — by Rail Express — last modified Apr 21, 2010 10:38 AM
As predicted last year in this column the anticipated public float of Queensland Rail (QR) is starting to get a little messy with the current dispute between the coal miners and the state government attracting some strange bedfellows.
City Metro scrapped –all change in New South Wales — by Rail Express — last modified Feb 24, 2010 10:39 AM
Back in October, my column focussed on the ad hoc and inconsistent approach to public transport planning in New South Wales, exemplified by the ‘on again, off again’ North West rail link and planning for a Sydney City Metro no one seemed to want. Five months on and New South Wales has yet another new premier; the City Metro is now history; and you wouldn’t have guessed, but New South Wales has yet another transport plan.
The big news for 2010 – the Queensland rail IPO — by Rail Express — last modified Feb 02, 2010 02:47 PM
Despite some big issues on the agenda as we move into 2010 such as positive moves towards the setting up a single regulator for the industry and plenty of talk about high speed trains and inland rail routes, this year’s biggest story will be the Queensland government’s sale of its freight business and the below rail infrastructure serving the coal industry, and the issues that will surround it.
Postcard from the UK – high speed rail test — by Rail Express — last modified Jan 12, 2010 01:11 PM
The severe blast of cold weather that has England in its grip has once again severely tested the rail and transport network’s here, though latest reports suggest other parts of Europe more suited to the cold are faring little better.
Breaking down the barriers of over regulation — by Rail Express — last modified Dec 09, 2009 10:23 AM
One of the recurring themes at last month’s AusRAIL PLUS event held in Adelaide was that of the plethora of regulatory, technical and physical ‘breaks of gauge’ that continue to hinder the progress and productivity of the Australian rail industry.
Melbourne – ringing in the changes — by Rail Express — last modified Nov 10, 2009 03:15 PM
With new operators, new trains and new infrastructure, Melbourne’s suburban rail commuters could be in for a wild ride over the next few years. However, it will be some time before it becomes clear as to whether these developments will be sufficient to cope with the rapid growth in patronage and Melbourne’s predicted population expansion.
Something rotten in the State of New South Wales? — by Rail Express — last modified Oct 13, 2009 03:19 PM
No doubt many readers of this column watched the recent ABC Four Corners programme, ostensibly covering the public transport crisis in New South Wales.
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Single National Rail Regulator

Posted by Anonymous User at Aug 31, 2009 11:20 PM
The following story might be very amusing if it wasn't about something so serious: safe rail systems in Australia and people's lives.

Start worrying everyone, your regular train trip is about to become a whole lot riskier. Something that shouldn't and wasn't meant to happen is about to happen and soon.

A small bunch of rail freight operators is set to take control of our rail safety systems right across Australia.

How did this happen?

Let's start at the beginning. Most of us probably think that things are usually best managed nationally than at state and territory level.

Particularly something like railways which cross borders across the country.

So when people say that rail safety regulation across Australia should be national, it sounds pretty much right doesn't it?

Wrong, very wrong.

When you look behind the glib but catchy line of the national rail freight industry ("let's have one regulator not seven") you find a very sad tale about industry/Government cosyness and the capture of some of the very people who are meant to protect us and put safety before profit (regulators).

You'll also find another bunch of people (the Australasian Railways Association, greedy rail freight operators, spineless and timid governments) who are all prepared to put money, power, profits and politics before peoples' safety.

This is alarming stuff indeed.

How did it ever happen?

Without a scrap of evidence, heads of Government across the country are actually giving serious consideration to abolishing the current state based rail safety systems and creating a new "single national" rail safety regulation system.

Sounds really good doesn't it, "single national rail system", but the truth is rail passengers across Australia need to start getting really really worried.

The lunatics are about to take over the asylum.

The current situation is this: we've got very effective rail safety regulation systems in this country already, particularly in the places where the major rail movements are, such as New South Wales and Victoria.

There are, of course, very large urban rail systems in those centres and they're actually managed very well.

So well in fact that rail is clearly the safest mode of land transport by far in Australia under the current systems and thankfully, deaths and injuries continue to fall every year across the country.

So, given that it's working so well now, what's the country about to do?

Exactly what it shouldn't do of course, scrap the current systems.

The Australian Railways Association and a bunch of fat cat rail freight operators have had a long term strategy (since at least 2002) to grab hold of rail safety regulation across the country and run it themselves or through those they control.

Why, because they're keen to rid themselves of some of those pesky regulators - particularly those in NSW, Western Australia and Victoria - whose current vigilance is so critical in keeping our rail systems so safe.

Many of the regulators are doing their job and that's a nuisance to the industry who can't make the profits they want to.

Like every industry, the rail freight operators are keen to get some of the "light touch" regulation (better known as self regulation) that basically means they'll get left alone to do whatever they want.

They're adopting the Sol Trujillo strategy: criticise the regulator.

It takes the limelight away from your own failures (like the industry's ongoing failure to deliver a national rule book) and gives you a chance to control the regulator and set the rules to your own advantage.

We all know what happens to safety-sensitive industries that get left "too alone" don't we?

That's right, if you don't have one of those out and out horrendous disasters where lots of people die, you have a steady rise in incidents, deaths and industries.

In reality, we might get both.

The anti-regulation rail freight operators have found voices in the National Transport Commission (NTC) and the Commonwealth Government.

After lean runs over a number of years, both of these struggling agencies are keen to get any national transport runs they can on the board to cut rail industry costs and help the industry to move and grow.

Why, because it makes them look good, and in the case of the Commonwealth Department, it makes their Minister look good.

Nothing at all wrong with that of course, that's what all agencies do, except when it's at the expense of safety systems that work and when its likely to costs lives and limbs, we all need to start worrying.

Heavily complicit too in this nonsense are a range of small rail, small Government states and the Northern Territory who just can't be bothered keeping their citizens safe themselves. They're keen to cost shift to the Commonwealth and also keen to curry favour and get some Commonwealth dollars once the nation's coffers start refilling.

So, things are grim.

The reality is that the country has done a complete u-turn in the space of just a couple of years.

After concluding in 2006 that no case existed for a single national regulator, two years later the NTC concluded the exact opposite.

A new NTC "case" in 2008 was "supported" by a comically inept regulatory impact statement that found that national regulation was justified despite good safety trends, despite industry regulation costs being very low and despite low "benefits" etc.

That's right, despite all the evidence pointing to the benefits of the status quo, that is, what we've got at the moment, the NTC (supported by industry and the Commonwealth) simply didn't want a bar of the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" rule and just went the other way.

So, the "single national rail safety regulator" is basically just a solution looking for a problem.

There's no case for and it shouldn't happen. It's actually likely to make things worse.

There little time to stave off this stupid move.

It remains to see if there are any regulators, bureaucrats and Ministers prepared to say publicly what everyone pretty much knows.

That is, that the "case" for a single national regulator is basically simply a public relations exercise.

That, in fact, there is no public policy case at all for the single national regulator because it's not about safety, it's about industry "efficiencies".

Let's see if style wins over substance. Worse, let's see if profit wins over safety.

Let's hope that someone wakes up to this before it's too late.

Single National Rail Safety Regulator - regulatory capture

Posted by Anonymous User at Sep 01, 2009 11:15 PM
The aim of national rail freight operators and the Australasian Railways Association in arguing so strongly for a single national rail regulator is simply to centralise and then "capture" and tame the rail safety regulator in Australia.

The industry is doing this to simply reduce existing rail safety regulation oversight and its impact across the country, particularly in New South Wales and Victoria where standards are most watched and enforced.

Its ultimate aim is to increase rail industry influence and power and through that, profits.

This practice of increasing regulatory capture will inevitably lead to lower safety levels in rail systems across Australia.

Put another way, greater deaths or injuries will be caused as the result of this process.

What is regulatory capture?

Regulatory capture is a term which describes situations where state regulatory agencies created to act in the public interest instead act in favor of the commercial or special interests that dominate the very industry or sector it is charged with regulating.

Put another way, ‘regulatory capture’ is simply the capture of ‘regulators’ by the regulated.

‘Capture’ means that responsible authorities act to protect the same illegal or unsafe practices that they are charged with ‘policing’.

The idea of regulatory capture has an obvious economic basis.

Vested interests in industries such as the national rail freight industry have the greatest financial stake in regulatory activities including safety regulation.

They have a clear interest in rendering regulators as impotent as possible while giving the appearance of regulation.

Regulatory capture is an insidious risk in any regulatory process.

Most instances of ‘capture’ are only partly visible, like an iceberg, and are often only uncovered during times of crisis and danger, eg a major rail disaster.

Regulatory capture can continue undetected for long periods as neither the regulated nor the regulator is likely to disclose it.

It does not have the more obvious and acute characteristics of a major theft or assault, which would draw immediate public attention and a swift remedial response.

Regulatory capture is a risk best addressed by visionary anticipatory preventative actions.

These place much of the responsibility for its risk management on the effective and accountable management by managers within the regulatory systems.