More than 180 people attended the ARA’s South Australian Rail Industry Dinner on Wednesday 23 October and were given an update from guest speaker Natalie Pellham on the important work of the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator. 

ARA Chair Danny Broad delivered a speech in which he recalled that in 2019 in Adelaide the ARA, together with industry representatives, presented to the biannual Transport Ministers Meeting and convinced the Ministers that issues such as skills and resources, interoperability and harmonisation of standards needed to be addressed by government working with industry on a national basis – which has since resulted in the National Rail Action Plan. 

Danny also noted that patronage was increasing since COVID with trams now carrying seven and half million passengers a year, and trains over 12 million – and both steadily growing. 

He also gave a short briefing on recent reports released by the ARA, including the Harmonisation of Rail Standards Research Report, Progressing Gender Equality in the Australasian Rail Sector and Rollingstock Decarbonisation Critical Path. 

The ARA would like to thank the generous support of Platinum Sponsor Frauscher and Networking Drinks sponsor Track Protection Australia of this very successful event.