Re: Productivity Commission Final Report Progress in Rail Reform

[ahonan@zipworld.com.au (Andrew Honan)]

I'm not so sure. There is the Glenbrook enquiry entering its second
stage, for which terms of reference have not been finalised.
It may well be that the enquiry could recommend (other than the safety
issues)  better co-ordination of rail services. ie Urban rail being
vertically integrated. This may put RAC under pressure.

i also think the language that the federal govt. used was pretty
strong in that it thretened to introduce legislation in mid 2001 (I
suppose kust before an election!!) to get better co-ordination.

My perception is that the RAC does NOT want to be marginalised, and
wants to carve out some valuable role in the overall rail reform.
Iknow that Mauire is critical of RAC's commercial in confidence
approach, but I think this is changing. There is now a new CEO and I
think he is pro infrastructure spending / develpoment and less
creating huge dividends to NSW treasury.

My hope is that parts of the RAC will play a significant role in
interstate network management, as part of the whole national
interstate network. I agree that there must be one national body, but
this body will need NSW resources.

My overall comment on the recommedations of the PC is that they are
very clear, and were able to steer clear of the vested interests of
(the old) RAC of Xsubsidising general rail line maintenance from coal
line revenue.

it really is up the Carl Scully and Bob Carr to think long and hard
about how this reform will come about. I am not too sure if they have
any time frame or urgency to act. As i say maybe the Glenbrook enquiry
will be the catalyst.

Regards
Andrew Honan

On Sat, 15 Apr 2000 15:06:46 +0930, "< Tell >"
<telljb@netozemail.com.au> wrote:

>mauried@tpg.com.au (Maurie Daly) wrote:
>> 
>> Having read thru the reccommendations of this report , I can understand why 
>> the Feds have waited so long to release it.
>> I doubt whether any of the recomendations will get up,simply because in most 
>> cases its not within the power of the Feds to do anything,and it will cost 
>> heaps of dough.
>> The Feds have attached the funding to rail reform , ie no progress in reform
>> then no federal funding.
>> Part of the reform is a single national rail operator for the interstate track 
>> from Brisbane to Perth. (I can just see this getting up.!!).
>> The report itself though is a good one and does seriously identify the 
>> problems that are facing rail today , mind you most of the problems are well 
>> known anyway.I suspect that this report will go the same way as the other 26 
>> rail reports that have been commissioned in the last 20 years have gone .
>
>
>Yep, 2.45 megs of zipfile info we already knew. :)
>
>You are right, a good report, but it will find a dusty
>pigeon hole just like the rest.
> 
>Somehow, state rights & NSW come too mind.!
>
>----Terry Burton
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