Derailment prompts call for safety review

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union says an accident at Inverleigh in Victoria had caused rail workers to lose confidence in the rail safety regime.

The Melbourne to Adelaide rail corridor was forced to close after a train derailment occurred between Inverleigh and Gheringhap (30km west of Geelong), displacing up to 16 containers on both sides of the track and some within an adjoining paddock.

Calling for an urgent review of the Rail Safety National Law, RTBU National Secretary Mark Diamond said it was fortunate there were no injuries to train crew.

“But the incident could have been catastrophic if the train was carrying passengers, rather than freight,” he said.

“Rail workers are increasing concerned that Australia’s rail safety regime is no longer fit for purpose, and not enough is being done to ensure that tracks are safe.

“While the cause of the derailment will be the subject of an investigation, rail workers are already aware of the failings in the rail safety system, and they want to see action.”

Diamond said heavy rain should not be used as an excuse to justify infrastructure failings.

“Australia is a big country with a big rail network. It therefore needs a rail workforce that is big enough to ensure that every kilometre of track is appropriately maintained and regularly checked – especially during times of extreme rainfall or heat,” he said.

“It has also been 10 years since the adoption of the Rail Safety National Law (RSNL). It’s time that safety laws were brought up-to-date with contemporary practices and standards in the rail industry.”

Diamond said a major problem with the current rail safety regime was an apparent lack of transparency.

“For example, when an individual makes a report to the regulator, they are not provided with a report back on the outcome of any investigation which arises – or even advised if any investigation has been conducted,” he said.

“This undermines rail workers’ trust in the system, as they do not know whether anything has been done about the safety issue.”

The Victorian Transport Association (VTA) said the incident, reportedly caused by the tracks buckling as water seeped underneath them, underscores its calls for urgent federal and state funding and a plan to tackle the massive job of repairing and reinstating road and rail freight networks.

VTA chief executive Peter Anderson said political leaders needed to commit resources to fix the damage that’s been done as soon as possible, in what were clearly unprecedented rain and weather events and outside the ordinary maintenance of the country’s transportation networks.