Rail crash raises questions

The NSW State Government moved quickly to appoint Supreme Court Judge 
Peter McInerney to head an inquiry into the Glenbrook rail crash last 
Thursday morning. The crash and the tragic loss of life raise questions 
about the cost-cutting and privatisation programs that are being 
implemented in NSW railways and nationally.

Questions have been raised by railway staff about the decline in 
maintenance standards and safety following massive cost-cutting and staff 
reductions over the last 10 years.

Eight workers have died over the last 18 months and there have been four 
derailments this year.

The rail unions in NSW are presently fighting another round of staff cuts -
- this time a reduction of around 450 station staff (on-hand managers).

Bit by bit the different areas of work are being outsourced to private 
operators.

The maintenance of signal equipment, which has been brought into question 
by the rail crash, is carried out by a private company, Rail Access 
Corporation. It appears that there was signal failure prior to the crash.

The present system permits trains to continue with extreme caution on a red 
light after waiting one minute or with authorisation where they can phone 
the signal box.

Is this an example where safety is being weighed up against the costs of 
long delays?

One of the two trains involved in the crash, the Indian Pacific which runs 
between Perth and Sydney, is operated by the private company Great Southern 
Railway.

The seats in the front carriages in the other train, a CityRail train 
running from Lithgow to Central (Sydney), came flying off their supporting 
bolts in the accident, raising more questions. 

Train maintenance is also carried out by private companies.

Where once there was a single co-ordinated railway service and railway 
staff, there is now a plethora of private companies.

In addition to the maintenance of signal equipment and trains, the 
ticketing, the ticket machines, security of trains, security of stations, 
track maintenance, security cameras, station construction, provision of 
casual staff and employment of staff are all outsourced in NSW — each 
aspect to a different private company.

While by no means are all of these areas directly linked to the crash, 
their privatisation raise serious questions about co-ordination, 
responsibility and accountability.

For the inquiry to be of any real use, it must look into these issues and 
the whole process of privatisation and cost-cutting has to be reviewed 
before any further accidents occur and NSW follows down the British track.