NTC RISSB rail standards and governance webinar
Find out more about how changes to rail governance and the National Rail Standards Framework will drive safety and efficiency across Australia’s railways.
The NTC and the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board (RISSB) are holding a joint webinar at 1pm on 14th October to unpack a recent decision by transport ministers to strengthen governance across the national rail system.
The changes will see RISSB take on the role of the industry-led technical standards setting body. And include a more pro-active role for the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) in achieving interoperability. The NTC through the National Rail Action Plan will continue to co-ordinate the development of a small number of mandatory standards for approval by ministers, with input from all.
To discuss the new model and consider opportunities for adopting and embedding mandatory and harmonised standards, RISSB CEO Alan Fedda will facilitate a panel of rail leaders including:
- NTC CEO Michael Hopkins
- Australian Rail Track Corporation CEO and Managing Director, Wayne Johnson
- Victorian Department of Transport and Planning, Executive Director, Lachlan McDonald
The one-hour webinar will:
- explain the thinking behind the new rail governance model and RISSB’s role within the national standards framework.
- show why harmonised standards are critical for improving interoperability, safety, and efficiency across Australia’s rail networks
- explore opportunities for adopting and embedding mandatory standards
- spark dialogue between regulators, government, and industry on the next steps for rail harmonisation.
You can sign up for the webinar here.
Rail Safety National Law change drives stronger interoperability
This month Australia took a major step towards a more seamless rail system with Rail Safety National Law regulations now requiring rail transport operators on the National Network for Interoperability (NNI) to have an Interoperability Management Plan.
The Plan will ensure they record and consider national interoperability before making changes to their network.
This marks a significant shift from the current approach where networks focus on what works best for their own operations.
The amendment was made after extensive industry consultation and will come into effect from 1 November 2025 with a transition period until 28 February 2026.
We’re now working with ONRSR and RISSB on guidance to support the change. This will be released soon.
The requirement for an interoperability management plan signifies the importance of achieving interoperability across the National Network for Interoperability (NNI) which includes interstate freight and passenger lines linking Australia’s major ports, regions and passenger terminals.
“With Infrastructure and Transport Ministers recently endorsing new institutional arrangements to support harmonisation of standards, further changes to Rail Safety National Law are being developed to build stronger interoperability requirements in the law,” our CEO Michael Hopkins said.
To find out if these changes affect your organisation, check our interactive NNI map which can be found here.
Tourist and heritage railway operators are exempt from the new amendment.
Future Skills Framework
Britain’s experience shows that by investing in the right workforce capabilities for a digital railway, Australia’s rail industry could boost productivity by up to 30 per cent.
To achieve this the NTC, through the National Rail Action Plan, is driving a national approach to rail skills reform.
Working with government, industry, the education sector, and unions, we’re aligning curriculum, improving the transferability of skills, creating industry-wide training pathways, and embedding reform into the governance and regulatory frameworks that will shape the future of rail in Australia.
Much of this work is underpinned by the Future Skills Framework.
The Framework outlines the skills that rail will need as new technologies are adopted. It provides guidance on how they can be developed through formal education, social learning, and on-the-job training.
You can find the framework on our website here.
Learn more about the National Rail Action Plan here.
An exciting time to be in rail
Australia is experiencing the biggest changes to rail since electrification.
The recent agreement by Australia’s infrastructure and transport ministers to bring our major interstate freight and passenger corridors under one digital signalling technology standard is a major step to improving efficiencies and safety. And to help reduce emissions while moving more freight and people around the country.
To find out more, check out our latest video.