Purpose
ONRSR is committed to cultivating strong and collaborative relationships with key stakeholders as part of a multifaceted approach to delivering on its functions under the Rail Safety National Law (RSNL) and achieving safe outcomes on Australia’s rail networks.
Partnerships are a key method of collaboration and this document outlines why, when and how ONRSR participates in them.
What is a partnership?
A partnership extends beyond a transactional relationship and:
- Comprises a formal or structured arrangement between ONRSR and one or more other organisations to collaborate on agreed activities.
- Delivers mutual benefits and exists to achieve a common objective.
- Has defined roles and responsibilities – each partner contributes specific skills, resources, or efforts.
Objectives
Strategic partnerships strengthen ONRSR’s ability to deliver on its business objectives and achieve positive outcomes for partners and rail safety.
A partnership could enable ONRSR to:
- Access specific expertise, capacity or intelligence it does not possess
- Leverage specific pathways to reach target stakeholders on a safety issue
- Contribute unique insights, expertise and perspective to enhance partner activities
- Enhance its reputation and credibility as a collaborative and contemporary regulator.
Guiding principles
ONRSR may pursue a partnership where there is:
- Alignment with its functions, purpose, vision and values
- No risk (actual or perceived) of compromising its independence as a regulator.
Partnerships developed under ONRSR’s Engagement and Education Strategy will not generally be with regulated parties – i.e. individual operators or suppliers – or those seeking leverage for commercial gain – ONRSR may pursue a compliance partnership to achieve strategic enforcement outcomes or industry/sector-wide safety improvements.
Scope and focus
Partnerships could include the following activities:
- Provision of ONRSR data or two-way data sharing
- Education campaign co-creation or delivery
- Technical or research project identification, co-delivery or funding
- Compliance partnerships that achieve sector or industry wide safety improvements
- Regular collaboration meetings with agreed deliverables.