The Tasmanian Government has secured the future of the Tasmanian rail network with a $78 million commitment from the Federal Government and $44 million from the State Government to maintain Tasmania's rail freight services.

The Rail Rescue Package was provided in response to a request by Pacific National for Government assistance, and is designed to maintain current levels of rail services, reducing freight on roads. It is also intended to capture future growth in contestable traffics.

The Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources (DIER), as the agency responsible for transport in the state, assumed responsibility for negotiating the transfer of ownership of the Tasmanian rail system from its private operators to the State Government. 

The RAIL MANAGEMENT UNIT (RMU) will facilitate the establishment and early management and planning for the new rail arrangements and will ensure that the elements of the Deeds entered into with Pacific National (PN) are appropriately managed until such time as more permanent arrangements can be made.

Specifically, the RMU has been established to acquit the following responsibilities:

• Advise Government on the appropriate ownership and management structure for rail in the State going forward.
• Developing structures and management systems to ensure that the obligations of the Crown can be effectively and efficiently discharged and are sufficiently transferable to accommodate any of the ownership and management models to be considered by the Government going forward.
• Representing the Government in strategic Stakeholder issues arising.
• Providing practical rail input into Government transport policy considerations and the development of rail expertise within the transport bureaucracy.
• Managing the day to day obligations and responsibilities of the parties including:
  • The oversight of PN's maintenance activities, administration of funding and validation of works.
  • The delivery of the capital works program as provided for by the Commonwealth's $78 million contribution on the AusLink Network.
  • The care and maintenance of currently unused sections of the rail network owned by the Crown.

The Rail Management and Maintenance Deed (RMMD) is the most significant of the instruments supporting the commercial arrangements between Pacific National (PN) and the Crown.

The RMMD covers the following issues:

• Responsibilities of the parties (PN and the Crown)
• Reporting
• Access by third party train operators including charges
• Indicative Maintenance and Capital Programs for 10 years
• Rolling stock investment program by PN
• Insurances and Indemnities
• KPI's and Condition Assessment

The Rail Management Unit Location

1st Floor, 6 Salamanca Place, Hobart.
Telephone (03) 6233 9686; fax (03) 6233 9688.
Postal Address is GPO Box 936, Hobart Tasmania 7001.

CROWN RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic Network Issues

• Covering rail infrastructure planning and stakeholder consultation.
• Maintaining in a care and maintenance mode, non-operational rail infrastructure.

Management of the Agreements

• Oversight of the management and maintenance contracts for the Tasmanian Rail Network.

Funding Issues

• Oversight of the spend of the maintenance program in accordance with the provisions of the RMMD.
• Management and control of Capital Expenditure on the AusLink Network.

PACIFIC NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Maintenance-related Issues

• Vegetation management
• Fence/boundary issues
• Railway bridges

Rail Safety and Accreditation

• Compliance with rail safety legislation and guidelines

Emergency & Disaster Management

• Including derailments, bush/scrub fires

Access

• Providing access to third party rail operators

• Including maintenance of locos and rolling stock
• Train related issues

PACIFIC NATIONAL TASMANIA CONTACTS:

Stephen Kerrison
State Operations Manager
Phone +61 (3) 6337 2200

Michael French
Infrastructure Services Manager
Phone +61 (3) 6337 2215