Rowsthorn expresses dismay over tanker tragedy as McAleese continues with fleet and safety reform at subsidiary
By Rob McKay | October 24, 2013
McAleese Transport says its cooperation with New South Wales Police and Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) is ongoing as authorities examine copies of work diaries and other records of subsidiary Cootes Transport.
Officers from the Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit and the RMS “executed a search warrant on a business address at Smithfield about 9.30 on 22 October, 2013”, the police force says.
“The officers seized a number of documents.
“The investigation into last month’s crash continues.”
A McAleese spokeswoman confirms the action took place but casts it in a less-dramatic light.
“On Tuesday, Police visited the Cootes Smithfield site and requested information in relation to their investigation,” she states.
“The company will provide this information in accord with an agreed timeframe of two weeks.
“The company continues to cooperate fully with Police as they undertake their investigation.”
She also addressed the issue of what actions McAleese has taken to improve the Cootes fleet since it was bought from private equity firm CHAMP.
“Following the acquisition of the Cootes business from CHAMP in 2012, the Board committed $33 million for investment in new equipment specified with Roll-Over Stability and ABS technology and the retrofitting of this technology into our existing fleet with the balance to be progressively completed by June 2014,” she states.
In the meantime, the firm was progressing with the establishment of a ‘zero tolerance’ framework on safety.
McAleese Chairman Mark Rowsthorn was quoted in the Australian Financial Review as describing it as a “belt and braces approach” and expressing his dismay at the tanker tragedy.
“Accidents happen throughout transport life but this one was really, really awful,” he told a business lunch
It still remains unclear about how the Cootes scandal will affect the McAleese initial public offering, with Rowsthorn not addressing the issue either.
The spokeswoman would not be drawn on whether there would be a delay but it is understood that there will be more clarity by early next week.
