<p>Freight Australia has slammed the Victorian Government’s decision to hold an inquiry into the regional rail network as "a sham". </p> <p>The State Government today (Friday, July 16) said the public transport safety director would hold an inquiry into the condition of regional freight and passenger tracks following a spate of accidents and derailments.</p> <p>But Freight Australia CEO Marinus van Onselen said the inquiry should be independent and widened to include all aspects of Victoria’s rail networks, including the regional fast rail development.</p> <p>"This is a Clayton’s inquiry that is not in the interests of all Victorians and designed by the Government to clearly avoid accountability," he said.</p> <p>"If the Government is truly concerned with the safety of rail networks in this state, it has an obligation to all Victorians to ensure an open and transparent inquiry into all aspects of rail safety is undertaken immediately."</p> <p>Freight Australia would co-operate "fully and frankly" with an independent inquiry, he said.</p> <p>A spokeswoman for Victorian transport minister Peter Batchelor told the ABC that "independent analysis" had found that Freight Australia’s investigations into several derailments had lacked depth and detail.</p> <br />
