Consistent rail rules and streamlined processes

Australia’s infrastructure and transport ministers have endorsed a National Pathway to coordinate and align existing rolling stock approval reform initiatives.    

As part of the National Pathway, Ministers have asked the NTC to review existing rolling stock approval processes to help streamline them and develop a more common approach. This includes investigating ways to harmonise rolling stock testing requirements and locations to enhance efficiency and reduce costs for the rail industry.    

We ’ve released a discussion paper seeking feedback on the impacts of differing rolling stock testing arrangements, and to identify feasible options to harmonise testing requirements.  

The discussion paper outlines several questions for your consideration.  

You can find the discussion paper here.

Have your say by emailing us at rollingstock@ntc.gov.au    

Submissions close Friday 17 July, 2026.

Find out more about our work on Streamlining rolling stock approval processes. 

Different infrastructure, rules and ways of working across networks have led to unique training and assessment procedures, as well as varying approval processes for introducing new trains.

This means workers often need to be retrained and reassessed to work on specific networks, while freight operators must have their rolling stock re-tested and approved for every network they operate in. 

Through NRAP, we are bringing governments, industry, regulators and unions together to look for opportunities to develop more common operating rules and practices recognised across all networks. We’re also simplifying and streamlining the rolling stock approval process to make it faster and more consistent.

More harmonised rules and processes will:

• reduce the burden on workers
• improve safety and consistency
• lower costs and time lost to retraining
• make it easier for workers to move across networks, supporting a more flexible and skilled workforce
• encourage investment in new rolling stock and technologies.

Australia’s governments want to move more freight by rail — reducing road congestion, improving safety and helping the country meet emissions targets.

To support this, the NTC is working with governments and industry to:

• clarify roles and responsibilities in relation to the rolling stock approval process
• develop and pilot a single national application process
• identify ways to harmonise rolling stock testing requirements and locations
• develop a mandatory process standard for rolling stock approvals to lock in interoperability.  

In May 2025, we released a consultation paper analysing current rolling stock approval processes, and sought feedback on ways to clarify the roles and responsibilities of different parties involved.  

A Summary of Feedback to the consultation paper which includes an overview of the National Pathway on streamlining rolling stock approvals can be found here.

ONRSR will develop a guideline on rolling stock approval processes and consult with industry in mid-2026.  We will continue to work with them on this important initiative.

National Pathway

In August 2025, Infrastructure and Transport Ministers endorsed a National Pathway to streamline rolling stock approvals.  This Pathway brings together existing reform initiatives across areas and stakeholders, building on the NTC’s work and providing opportunities for greater coordination.  

The Pathway sets a cooperative and staged approach towards a long-term vision of a common national approval process that reduces costs and regulatory burden for industry.  

It consolidates all existing NTC initiatives - such as safety assurance guidance, the development and piloting of a single application form and investigating ways to harmonise testing arrangements. As well as jurisdictional projects, including harmonising common interface standards, the NSW network acceptance process, and the Australian Rail Industry Standards Organisation (ARISO) National Rolling Stock Register (NRSR) and registration system.

A simpler, nationally consistent approach to approvals will save the rail industry tens of millions of dollars each year and encourage investment in innovative, lower-emission rolling stock and technology. 

Find out more about our work on Streamlining rolling stock approval processes. 

Today Across Australia, rail workers may need to understand up to 12 different rule books and maintain competencies for every network they work on.

While many of these competencies overlap, they are not mutually recognised — so workers often need to retrain in skills they already have when moving between jobs or networks. This includes learning different rules, terminology, hand signals and signage.

Through the National Rail Action Plan (NRAP), the NTC is working with the Australasian Railway Association (ARA), Australian Rail Industry Standards Organisation (ARISO) and industry to develop a common set of operating rules and practices that reduce the need for bespoke training.

The first four rules and five supporting actions identified for harmonisation relate to:

• walking in the danger zone
• communications
• planning works in the rail corridor
• reporting and responding to conditions affecting the network.

Implementation options for these harmonised rules are being considered as part of the Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement (C-RIS) for upcoming Rail Safety National Law (RSNL) reforms, which will be released for public consultation in early 2026.

To support this work, we’ve also identified rail’s top 10 operations and maintenance roles across Australia’s 18 rail networks and grouped together their most common titles. You can find a copy of the report here.

Comparing roles, responsibilities and rules across all networks is a complex task. The NTC is exploring how artificial intelligence tools can help accelerate this work.
 

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We’re also working with industry, the education sector and Industry Skills Australia (ISA) to develop entry level training that is recognised by all networks.

This will:

• reduce training costs
• make it easier for workers to move across network
• help skilled workers from different backgrounds find a job in rail.

If you'd like to find out more about how we are helping to align digital train control technologies send us an email or subscribe to our monthly newsletter here.

To make a formal submission in response to our discussion papers you can find out more here.