Dr Collette Burke has been appointed as Chair of the Board for Inland Rail, while Dr Sean Sweeney has been named as the organisation’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
It comes after the Federal Government announced today it would be cutting funding to extend Inland Rail from Melbourne to Brisbane, instead ending the new freight corridor at Parkes in New South Wales.
Dr Burke has served as Inland Rail’s interim Chair since November of last year, and her permanent appointment began on April 28, 2026. Dr Sweeney will take over as CEO from July 1.
Dr Burke is also the Deputy Chair of the Board for the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), and currently serves as a Director of Marinus Link and the National Transport Research Organisation.
Dr Sweeney previously served as the Program Director for MetroLink in Dublin and as CEO of City Rail Link Ltd in Auckland.
A press release from the office of Catherine King, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, said these appointments at Inland Rail come at a “crucial time as the project refocuses on the delivery to Parkes, while preserving the corridor north of Parkes for the future.”
The statement adds: “With this new leadership in place, we are reinforcing our commitment to strong governance and clear accountability for Inland Rail.”
.jpeg)
.png){kind=small}
