By Jennifer Perry
“This is a very welcome outcome given the disappointment experienced by our industry when the last ATC recommendation for a national regulator was rejected by COAG earlier this year,” ARA director government relations Phil Sochon said.
The challenge now, is for COAG to support its transport ministers and approve the ATC’s recommendation.
“We’ve been bitten once, if you like, and it’s been a painful process for ATC to have their recommendation knocked back by COAG,” Sochon said.
“A single national regulator for maritime and heavy vehicles was approved by COAG at its last meeting which we fully support, but COAG must not fail the rail industry this time round.
“How senseless would it be to have two national regulators operating in the competing modes and to still have seven rail safety regulators for rail? COAG must maintain the reform zeal that is needed to see this through.
“We need an even stronger commitment to make sure this reform actually happens and the reform process is implemented with alacrity.”
The ARA has also endorsed the ATC agreement that South Australia should be the host jurisdiction for the national rail safety regulator, noting that SA legislation is very similar to the approved national legislation.
“The rail industry advocated for South Australia because it has demonstrated a good understanding of co-regulation. Co-regulation means the industry has to pull its weight in managing safe systems, and the regulator’s role is to ensure industry is doing this. SA has consistently delivered this in its regulatory practice,” Sochon said.
“It’s a balanced, co-regulatory approach that facilitates the industry playing its part whilst having a regulator conducting an appropriate level of overseeing without being too interventionist.”
Along with a host jurisdiction, outposts will also reportedly be established in each state for the day-to-day monitoring of local urban trains and interstate freight operations.
Looking forward, the ARA said the rail industry seeks close consultation throughout the entire process of the reform’s implementation to ensure that the industry’s needs are “heard clearly”, and to offer industry expertise to ensure the reform is implemented with strong rail support.
“Reducing costly red tape through a single interface will allow the rail industry to get on with the job of servicing a growing passenger and freight task. The ability to share data, experience and knowledge across one national body will also support continued improvement sin rail safety,” Sochon said.
“Rail needs to be sure that COAG has really heard this time from its Transport Ministers and that it is committed to providing a more or less level playing field in terms of the competing modes. Getting a single national rail safety regulator is a very major step on that path and we now call on the Premiers to support this vital reform when they meet early next year”.
 
