Queensland is the final state to come in under the National Rail Safety Regulator umbrella, with legislation passed in State Parliament on Tuesday night.
The Rail Safety National Law (Queensland) Bill 2016 will bring a single national accreditation regime for rail transport operators across Australia.
The Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) currently has jurisdiction over all states and territories other than Queensland.
That will change at midnight on June 30, 2017, thanks to the new regulation.
“Under the reforms, the ONRSR will become the rail safety regulator in Queensland and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau will operate as the rail safety investigator for no-blame investigations,” Queensland transport minister Jackie Trad said.
“This is a significant step forward and will improve the way safety risks are identified and managed by industry.
“By implementing these reforms in Queensland, we are cutting red tape for industry and making our railways safer.”
Trad said all permanent rail regulation staff currently working in Queensland would be offered a position with the ONRSR.
She said the reforms have also received strong support from Queensland’s 66 accredited rail operators.
Australasian Railway Association chief executive Danny Broad welcomed the news.
“The ARA has pushed for a single national rail safety regulator for a decade and it is fantastic to see another piece of the jigsaw go into place,” Broad said.
“The ARA thanks the Queensland Government for its support and looks forward to the transition.”