This week, the ARA’s CEO Caroline Wilkie and General Manager – Advocacy and New Zealand, Simon Bourke, met with key decision makers in Canberra to discuss the priority issues and projects for the rail industry. 

We met with the Hon. Catherine King MP, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government on Tuesday and highlighted the importance of more Federal Government investment in improving the resilience of critical rail freight infrastructure, as well as the importance of the Government providing industry with certainty on the Parkes to Queensland section of the Inland Rail project.   

The ARA also discussed the activity of the High Speed Rail Authority and the tenders released this week to support development of the Sydney-Newcastle business case by the end of the year. The ARA also highlighted its work on its new rollingstock decarbonisation critical path project (scheduled for release later this year), as well as the ARA’s recently released Gender Diversity Report. 

The ARA also met with Senator Bridget McKenzie, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development. Discussions focused on Inland Rail, high speed rail, improving rail interoperability and infrastructure resilience. 

The ARA also held discussions with the Hon. Dan Repacholi MP, Member for Hunter, and the Hon Mark Coulton MP, Member for Parkes, to discuss the potential re-establishment of the Parliamentary Friends of Rail Group, with both Members responding positively to the proposal. The ARA will provide further details on this initiative later this year. 

For further information please contact Simon Bourke, General Manager – Advocacy and New Zealand.