C O M P A N Y O V E R V I E W
Australasian Railway Association (ARA)
Moving towards a promising future
A U S T R A L A S I A N R A I LWAY A S S O C I AT I O N ( A R A )
Freight Pacific National
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he Australasian Railway Association (ARA) is the peak body representing all passenger, freight, track operators and the wider rail supply industry in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Its fundamental purpose is to create an environment that will permit the Australasian rail industry to prosper. When issues arise that affect the whole industry, the ARA takes the lead facilitating an industry response. The ARA is actively involved in the development of rail policy to ensure the industry’s views are represented. As well as shaping policy in the 95
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areas of passenger, freight, rail safety regulatory reform, the environment, technology and research, the ARA is also involved in programs aimed at improving the productivity, capacity and overall safety of the Australasian rail industry. Over the past busy year, the ARA has continued to advocate strongly on behalf of its membership to ensure greater prosperity of the rail industry throughout the region and to keep rail on the political agenda. Through the collaboration and willingness to share knowledge and ideas, members in ARA’s Committees and Working Groups
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are making a real, tangible difference in the rail industry, influencing and contributing to new initiatives, industry benchmarking and key decisions that impact the entire industry.
Inland Rail. This nation building project will address the existing road and rail imbalance by opening up the Melbourne to Brisbane network, taking seven hours off transit between the two cities; removing thousands of trucks from Strengthening our freight major highways, easing the Sydney networks bottleneck; and boosting regional In 2013, Australian railways carried development along the entire over 1 billion tonnes of freight, with 1,700km route. freight movements on rail increasing The ARA wants certainty on by 57 per cent over the past five the future of the project through years. The national freight task is a clear and significant funding predicted to almost triple by 2050, commitment across the Forward driven substantially by the resources Estimates from the 2016/17 Budget. boom and the export task of moving Clear timeframes and a strong iron ore and coal to ports. commitment of the existing $300 If Australia is expected to meet million toward detailed planning, land this growing freight challenge, Rail acquisition, community consultation will need to have an increasingly and exploration of regional freight rail important role to play in this space. links is required. The ARA works closely with state and federal Governments regarding Investing in major urban rail a range of freight related issues. projects The number one priority is to get Passenger rail in Australia is going more freight on rail and to advocate through a renaissance, moving strongly to governments at all more than 850 million people each jurisdictions to take measures for year. This is equal to 16.4 million this to occur. passenger trips per week or 2.3 The ARA continues to advocate million people travelling by train key freight projects such as the every day of the year. w w w. a r a . n e t . a u .
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A U S T R A L A S I A N R A I LWAY A S S O C I AT I O N ( A R A )
Downer EDI manufacturing
With populations in cities like Melbourne and Sydney expected to grow to over 8 million by 2050, urban heavy and light rail are going to play a key role in preventing increased congestion that would otherwise cripple our cities and inner suburban areas. Non-urban passenger rail services are also growing, 97
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providing interstate connections between our regional townships and major cities including Darwin, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane. The ARA over the past year has been strongly advocating for greater infrastructure investment to go into public transport, in particular heavy urban and light
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rail. The ARA is encouraging the Federal Government to support the States in meeting the increasing passenger rail infrastructure needs of our cities, through the co-funding of light and heavy passenger rail projects, such as the Melbourne Metro Rail and Brisbane Cross River Tunnel. The future productivity and liveability of our
cities depends on investment in an integrated transport system linking our railways, cities and ports to help move growing numbers of people and goods across Australian cities. Skilled jobs for the future Rail manufacturing and supporting infrastructure generate annual revenue exceeding $4.2 billion. w w w. a r a . n e t . a u .
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A U S T R A L A S I A N R A I LWAY A S S O C I AT I O N ( A R A )
Estimated Australian Freight Volumes
Across Australia, there are approximately 330 manufacturing firms with more than 150 years of rail design and manufacturing capability. Rail suppliers are mostly small to medium enterprises (SMEs), 85 per cent of which are Australian owned. Australia’s geography and geology lends itself to requiring world class rail capability, one that is economically efficient and environmentally friendly and that improves urban amenity. Today, the Australian rail industry can demonstrate world’s best practices in terms of design, innovative technologies, signalling, and the infrastructure that underpins it. It is 99
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important that Australia continues to leverage this competitive advantage and become a leader in the global market. There is still much room for improvement in terms of efficiency and effectiveness of freight haulage and increasing passenger patronage onto rail modes of public transport. Both government and industry should be motivated to increase the industry’s growth and productivity as the economic benefits are significant. Government is central to the competitiveness equation, being a major customer and influencer of the rail industry.
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Rail suppliers, manufacturers and contractors need support from the Federal Government through programs that help to foster innovation and job creation in our local rail sector and assist with forming alliances, partnerships, joint ventures and the like.
conference AusRAIL PLUS, being held in Melbourne 24-26 November 2015. AusRAIL PLUS is the largest rail conference held in the southern hemisphere, with thousands of delegates and hundreds of exhibitors coming together to hear from key leaders in rail from across Australia and the globe. United for the future. The theme this year is ‘Doing The ARA is seeking to further it smarter: People. Power. strengthen rail’s position as a leading Performance.” This exciting event passenger and freight transport provides a unique opportunity for mode of choice and convey to people to come together to learn government and key stakeholders from each other, network and the critical role rail plays in the regions convey to government the industry’s transport infrastructure. key priorities. The exhibition Rail is crucial to Australia’s showcases new technologies, economy, and its whole productivity. new ways to be doing things and Over the years, rail has united to innovative ideas, which again pursue common agendas, identify draws back on the core theme of areas of mutual interest, develop ‘Doing it Smarter’ through greater trust and collaborate to increase productivity, better operations and productivity, efficiency, safety and increased efficiencies. most importantly reduce costs. To become part of this united The key to achieving greater effort and gain access to the ARA’s government involvement and network, knowledge and influence investment in rail relies on this join the ARA membership. Full industry unity; coming together as details and contact information can one voice. be found at www.ara.net.au. If your This collaboration will be company works in rail you really highlighted at the ARA’s national should be part of the conversation. w w w. a r a . n e t . a u .
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AUSTRALASIAN RAILWAY ASSOCIATION Suite 4, Level 4, Plaza Offices (East) Canberra Airport ACT 2609, Australia Tel. (02) 6270 4501 Fax. (02) 6273 5581 ara@ara.net.au http://www.ara.net.au/