ARA vents anger at COAG, saying it is fed up with the "tardy" rail safety reform agenda governments
The Australian Railway Association (ARA) has vented it anger at the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), saying it is fed up with the “tardy” rail safety reform agenda governments announced on May 1.
ARA Chief Executive Bryan Nye says although most states have failed to meet the national agreed target for the agenda of July 1 2007, COAG has done little to reprimand them for this.
“Apart from Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales, jurisdictions failed to meet the deadline by a mile,” Nye says.
“Even then neither Victoria, South Australia nor NSW have fully aligned their legislation with the National Model Bill and Regulations.”
However, Nye commended COAG’s support for a National Rail Safety Regulator and Investigator (NRSRI) but says such a committee must be established as soon as possible.
“A NRSRI will considerably enhance the regulation of rail across the nation by bringing improved consistency, effectiveness and efficiency of regulatory practice which will reduce the regulatory burden on rail,” Nye says.
Nye wants a transition process established as soon as possible and for the matter to be decided at the next COAG meeting.