Australasian Railway Association chairman Bob Herbert has floated the idea of a ‘White Paper’ for the rail industry, along the lines of that recently released for the defence sector.
Speaking to the ARA’s networking dinner in Sydney last week, Herbert compared the rail and defence industries, highlighting the comparable contribution rail makes to the community in terms of employment, and impact on GDP.
“However, unlike defence,” he told the room, “in rail it is each state and territory government that makes the expenditure decisions, each setting its own standards and priorities with little coordination.
“By contrast, in defence it is our sovereign Commonwealth Government that makes national expenditure decisions resulting in substantial benefits to that sector.”
The 2016 Defence White Paper, released on February 25, outlines plans for approximately $195 billion of new investment in the sector through to 2025/26.
In his speech – which was heard by NSW transport and infrastructure minister Andrew Constance – Herbert highlighted particular areas of spending, such as $230 to establish a ‘Centre for Defence Industry Capability’, $730 million for research on next generation technologies, and $640 million for a Defence Innovation Hub.
The ARA chairman lamented that similar commitments for innovation and to build Australia wide rail industry capability simply don’t occur.
He said rail is, in this way, a victim of the “frailties of our Federation”.
Herbert urged the states to come together at the upcoming Transport and Infrastructure Council (TIC) meeting in May.
The Commonwealth should work with the states to prepare a White Paper that would deliver for rail similar capability and innovation initiatives that are in prospect for defence, Herbert concluded.
The TIC will meet on May 20.
The ARA will hold its next networking dinner in Perth on Tuesday, May 31. WA transport minister Dean Nalder is scheduled to speak at the event. Click here for more information.