RailCorp

Rail Corporation New South Wales
State-owned corporation overview
Formed 1 January 2004
Preceding agencies
Superseding agency
Jurisdiction New South Wales
Headquarters Sydney
Minister responsible
State-owned corporation executive
Key documents
Website www.railcorp.info

Rail Corporation New South Wales (RailCorp) is a State-owned corporation of the State of New South Wales established under the Transport Administration Act 1988 in 2004. From 2004 until 2013, RailCorp operated passenger train services in New South Wales and maintained rail infrastructure within the New South Wales Metropolitan Rail Area. From 2013, operation and maintenance functions were transferred to the new Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink agencies, leaving RailCorp as the legal owner of a portfolio of $28.6 billion of railway property, mostly within metropolitan area. Other functions include network access, leasing and managing the NSW Government's contract with Airport Link Company. The acting chief executive of RailCorp is Sydney Trains chief executive Howard Collins.[1]

History

In January 2004, after much criticism and public perceptions of blame shifting between units of the State Rail Authority for operational failings, RailCorp was formed taking over the passenger train operations of CityRail and CountryLink, and responsibility for maintaining the greater metropolitan network from the Rail Infrastructure Corporation.[2][3]

Initially governed by a Board of Directors as a State owned corporation, RailCorp was reconstituted as a statutory authority on 1 January 2009. Changes to the Transport Administration Act, 1988 (NSW) resulted in abolition of the Board effective 1 July 2010 and the repositioning of RailCorp as an entity under Transport NSW.[4] This was followed by further structural changes under the Transport Legislation Amendment Act 2011, which saw Transport NSW replaced by Transport for NSW, which was established as a controlled entity of the Department of Transport, with Rail Corporation New South Wales a controlled entity of Transport for NSW.[5] RailCorp reports to the Minister for Transport.

Restructure 2013

In May 2012 the Minister for Transport announced a restructure of RailCorp from July 2013 that would:[6][7][8][9]

Corruption investigation

In 2007 and 2008 RailCorp was investigated by the Independent Commission Against Corruption. In a series of seven reports released during 2008,[10] the ICAC reported that more than $21 million in improper contracts and deals through the procurement of services in just three years.[11][12][13][14] In June 2009, RailCorp terminated the contract of Vicki Coleman, its Chief Information Officer, and it was claimed that she was at the centre of claims of dishonesty and corruption.[15]

The ICAC recommended charges against 33 people; yet by April 2012, only eight people had faced the courts. Those that received custodial sentences included Allan Michael Blackstock (4½ years) and Renea Hughes (3½ years). Youssef (Joe) Madrajat was directed to undertake community service. Further charges are expected to be laid on others, and several are still waiting the outcome of criminal proceedings.[16]

Emergency response

RailCorp maintains a statewide Emergency Response Unit. The function of this unit is to attend incidents, such as derailments. Formerly known as the State Rail Fire Service, the unit is based in Sydney and respond to emergency incidents involving the rail network including automatic fire alarms within the underground and nearby stations.[17] The unit also undertakes cross-training with Fire and Rescue NSW.[18] The unit is currently equipped with a number of vehicles including Mercedes and International pumpers and a specialist rapid rail response unit which is able to travel via the road and rail network for rescue operations.[19] The unit's motto is Semper Paratus, translated from Latin to mean Always Ready.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Transport for New South Wales (2014). RailCorp 2014 annual report (PDF).
  2. ↑ Rail Corporation of New South Wales NSW Government State Records
  3. ↑ Annual Report 30 June 2004 RailCorp
  4. ↑ "Annual Report 2009-2010" (PDF). Rail Corporation of New South Wales. 29 October 2010. p. 3. ISSN 1835-2928. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  5. ↑ Transport Legislation Amendment Bill 2011 Parliament of New South Wales 13 September 2011
  6. ↑ Saulwick, Jacob (15 May 2012). "RailCorp job cuts first of many: unions". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  7. ↑ Clennell, Andrew (15 May 2012). "Ruthless RailCorp reforms planned as middle management axed". Daily Telegraph. Sydney. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  8. ↑ Corporate Plan 2012/13 RailCorp
  9. ↑ 700 jobs to go as RailCorp gets the axe Daily Telegraph 16 November 2012
  10. ↑ "Individuals adversely named by ICAC". Contracts and procurement. Rail Corporation New South Wales. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  11. ↑ "Railcorp corruption inquiry" (transcript). The 7.30 Report. Australia: Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 22 May 2008. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  12. ↑ Besser, Linton (15 December 2008). "RailCorp corruption 'extraordinary', report finds". Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  13. ↑ "ICAC recommends further 10 charges over Railcorp fraud". The Australian. AAP. 8 September 2008. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  14. ↑ Besser, Linton (3 April 2009). "RailCorp's scrutineer one of its own executives". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  15. ↑ Walters, Adam (9 June 2009). "RailCorp boss escorted from her office by security". Daily Telegraph. Australia. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  16. ↑ "Plenty of loot, but convictions harder to come by". Sydney Morning Herald. 7 April 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  17. ↑ Robertson, John (1 June 2010). "RailCorp City Circle Derailment Response". Questions without notice: Hansard. Legislative Council of New South Wales. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  18. ↑ "Annual Report 2006–2007" (PDF). Rail Corporation New South Wales. October 2007. p. 16. ISSN 1835-2936. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  19. ↑ "Rapid Rail Response Unit" (PDF). SEM Fire and Rescue. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
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