Monday, May 26, 2025
Stakeholder Forums Off and Running
ONRSR’s renewed focus on engagement and communication with operators and safety stakeholders is in full swing with a series of tourist and heritage forums being held across the country.
Throughout March, April and May, forums have been held with T&H operators in Brisbane, Adelaide and Launceston with each event drawing good representation from key players in the sector. Further sessions will be held in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth later this year.
Each forum has featured productive, two-way conversations on local issues but also on important national news and reforms. These have included information and discussions around the rollout of ONRSR’s Code of Practice: Train Visibility at Level Crossings, implementation of the NTC’s revised national standard for the assessment of rail safety workers, the emerging developments in relation to interoperability on the network, and the resources ONRSR has available to assist T&H operators to ensure their operations remain safe.
The forums are a key part of ONRSR’s recently released Engagement and Education Strategy and are designed to demonstrate a commitment to proactive stakeholder engagement, collaboration and transparency in the interests of achieving better rail safety outcomes across the country.
Commercial operators are also a key focus of the strategy with ONRSR Engaugement Forums for these rail transport operators to be held in each capital city throughout the year, starting with Brisbane on 29 May. Sessions will follow in Melbourne (17 June), Sydney (22 July), Adelaide (3 September) and Perth (date to be confirmed).
ONRSR Chief Executive and National Rail Safety Regulator, Dr Natalie Pelham will also hold two Chief Executive’s Forums in the second half of the year.
ONRSR’s Director Stakeholder Engagement and Influence, Susan Everingham said delivery of forums was a key priority for ONRSR in 2025.
“The opportunity to meet with operators in all sectors face to face is invaluable in terms of how we collaborate in the interests of safer railways,” she said.
“The feedback we have received from the tourist and heritage sector has been really positive and we are using that to optimise the sessions with commercial operators and I think we will see some really useful discussions and developments out of these forums.”
“It’s about expanding the lines of communication so we can explain the issues and priorities ONRSR has but then hear from operators about where they may have questions or require clarifications.”
For further information in relation to ONRSR stakeholder forums visit: ONRSR Stakeholder Forums | ONRSR