<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> Leader of the Nationals, Warren Truss, has been chosen as Australiaâs next minister for infrastructure and regional development. </span> <p>While it is perhaps the most significant appointment to the rail industry made by prime minister elect, Tony Abbott, in his cabinet announcement on Monday, it was a fairly predictable one Truss has been the shadow minister for infrastructure and transport for some time.</p><p>The unpredictable part, however, was the dropping of the word ‘transport’ from Truss’ title.</p><p>It’s the first time there hasn’t been a cabinet minister with the word ‘transport’ in his or her title since the Country Party’s Larry Anthony was named minister for transport in 1941.</p><p>Regardless of title, though, it seems transport duties will be handled by Truss.</p><p>Truss, who will also be the deputy prime minister under Abbott, has held federal government portfolios before: he was the minister for agriculture, fisheries and forestry in the Howard government between 1999 and 2005.</p><p>Following that, he spent time as the minister for transport and regional services, and then the minister for trade, both under Howard, until the Rudd government came into power in 2007.</p><p>Other cabinet appointments significant to the rail industry include the new trade minister, Andrew Robb.</p><p>Robb, a Liberal, is a slightly unlikely candidate for the trade portfolio, which traditionally goes to a National Party member in coalition governments.</p><p>Robb served as the minister for vocational and further education, in the Howard government.</p><p>Julie Bishop is the new foreign minister, while Senator Eric Abetz will be employment minister – a role handling industrial relations and productivity matters.</p><p>Australian Industry Group chief executive, Innes Willox, said the ministry was well placed to deliver a fresh approach in many important areas, noting the significance of industrial relations.</p><p>“Eric Abetz has the critical job of restoring balance and agility into our workplace relations system and we look forward to continuing the productive and positive relations we had with him in opposition,” he said.</p><p>“We warmly congratulate the new ministers on their appointments and we look forward to working with the incoming government,” Willox said.</p><p>The Australian Logistics Council (ALC), meanwhile, welcomed Truss’s appointment.</p><p>“Warren Truss is an experienced and knowledgeable minister who has a very good understanding of the issues facing the freight logistics industry,” ALC managing director, Michael Kilgariff, said.</p><p>The Australian Council of Trade Unions, however, voiced concern with the appointment of Abetz as employment minister.</p><p>“We are concerned about some of his intentions for workplace relations previewed during the election campaign, like having the Fair Work Commission police enterprise agreements for pay rises without trade-offs and backing employers’ push to cut penalty rates,” ACTU president, Ged Kearney, said.</p><p>“We are concerned about where his flagged Productivity Commission review of work laws could lead.”</p><p>The rail industry’s peak representative body, the Australasian Railway Association, is yet to make a full comment on Abbot’s cabinet selections, but CEO Bryan Nye spoke with Rail Express, congratulating Truss on his appointment.</p><p>“ARA looks forward to working with the Coalition on critical freight projects like the Inland Rail and will now also be looking for early confirmation of existing funding for a number of other rail freight projects that are crucial,” Nye told Rail Express.</p>
