On Monday, ARA General Manager – Rail Freight and Heavy Haul, Georgia Nicholls, and Policy Officer Mikaela Stewart took part in an industry consultation workshop on the NSW Freight Policy Reform Program.   

Independent Panellists Dr Kerry Schott AO, Lucio Di Bartolomeo and Dr Hermione Parsons, together with TfNSW Freight Branch Director of Policy and Regulatory Reform, Bianca Slack-Smith, ran three workshops discussing key freight priorities and challenges with road and rail operators, agricultural groups, exporters and representatives of other interested groups.  

The ARA took the opportunity to advocate for the importance of the NSW Government leading work among its agencies and contractors to progress interoperability. We advocated for the government to pursue better coordination between Rail Infrastructure Managers within NSW, and to actively engage and drive the work being led by the National Transport Commission as part of the National Cabinet prioritisation. 

We also took the opportunity to again draw attention to the industry-led proposal for a Port Botany Regional Rail Incentive Scheme, supported by a detailed cost benefit analysis conducted by Deloitte Access Economics in accordance with NSW Treasury guidelines.  The proposed scheme would unlock rail capacity by better coordinating export volumes destined for single stevedores via metropolitan IMTs. 

Final submissions to the NSW Freight Policy Reform Program are due by May 31, so work is well progressed on a detailed and ambitious submission on behalf of industry. If you have not been involved in the drafting process to date, please get in touch with Mikaela Stewart via [email protected] or on 0401 380 726.