AGY-2599 | State Rail Authority of New South Wales [II]

Full description

The State Rail Authority of New South Wales was reconstituted by the Transport Administration Amendment (Rail Corporatisation and Restructuring) Act, 1996 which divided the former State Rail Authority of New South Wales into four separate agencies - Rail Access Corporation; Rail Services Authority; Freight Rail Corporation and a new State Rail Authority (SRA[II]). SRA [II] was proclaimed to commence on 1 July, 1996 (1)

The new State Rail Authority was responsible for the operation of passenger services (2) and at its commencement continued to operate those services which its predecessor had carried out. The Authority was enabled to establish or discontinue services (3) and was required to act in the best interests of the entire rail network. (4)

SRA[II] was managed by the State Rail Authority Board which consisted of the Chief Executive of the SRA and between four to seven persons appointed by the Minister who considered them to have the expertise necessary to enable the Authority to carry out its functions. (5) The Board was responsible for determining the policies of the Authority. (6)

At its commencement SRA [II] was responsible for the operation of all passenger services of the CityRail and Countrylink business units and retained the assets necessary to carry out this business including railway stations and passenger rollingstock. (7) The Authority consisted of four major divisions - Corporate Head Office, Operations (comprising City Rail and network Control), Countrylink and Passenger fleet maintenance. (8)

In February, 1998 the Authority was restructured to consist of four operating divisions - CityRail Stations, Countrylink, Passenger Fleet Maintenance and Operations These divisions were supported by corporate units responsible for policy and planning, corporate services, employee relations, organisational development and rail development (9)

In May 2000 the Airport Line was opened this was the first extension to City Rail services since the East Hills to Glenfield extension which occurred in 1987. (10)

On 6 June 2000 administrative change within the rail agencies led to the Co-ordinator- General of Rail being given the oversight of the rail infrastructure organisations- viz Rail Access Corporation and Rail Services Australia. (11)

The Transport administration Amendment (Rail Agencies) Act 2003 established the Rail Corporation of New South Wales and the Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation. However it provided for the continuation of the State Rail Authority until such time as the Rail Corporation of New South Wales was fully established.

The objectives of the State Rail Authority under the new legislation were as follows:
To manage its assets, rights and liabilities effectively and responsibility;
To minimise the risk exposure of the State arising from its activities; and
To achieve the efficient and timely winding up of residual business activities. (12)

The functions of the State Rail Authority were:
(a) to facilitate the transfer of its staff, assets, rights and liabilities to Rail Corp, Rail Infrastructure Corporation and other bodies under this Act;
(b) to hold on behalf of the State, retain, transfer or dispose of assets, rights and liabilities;
(c) to carry on any business activity that relates to its assets, rights and liabilities or that is ancillary to these;
(d) to acquire and develop land;
(e) to make and enter contracts or arrangements for carrying out works, performance of services or supply or goods and materials;
(f) to enter contracts for the operation of any of the Authority’s services;
(g) to appoint agents or to act as agent for other persons;
(h) to do anything which is supplemental or incidental to any of its functions; and
(i) perform any other function conferred upon it by any act. (13)

The Authority could sell, lease or otherwise dispose of land as required in the exercise of its functions. (14)
The Board of the State Rail Authority was to continue in office until the new agencies were established. The existing members of the Board were to remain in office until the Board was abolished. (15)
The incumbent Chief Executive Officer of the State Rail Authority also remained in office for the interim period. The Minister could appoint an Acting CEO if necessary. The Chief Executive Officer continued to manage and control the affairs of the State Rail Authority subject to the control of the minister. (16)
The State Rail Authority and its subsidiaries were to be dissolved on a day to be proclaimed in the Gazette. The assets and liabilities of the agency become those of the Crown. The Chief Executive Officer ceased to hold office at the date of dissolution. All references to the State Rail Authority became those to RailCorp. (17)
The functions of State Rail [II] were gradually transferred to the Rail Corporation of New South Wales during the first half of 2004. (18)


Endnotes:
(1) NSW Government Gazette 5 July, 1996 p. 3795
(2) Transport Administration Act 1988- 1996 s. 5 (1)
(3) Ibid. s. 5 (3)
(4) Ibid. s. 5 (4)
(5) Ibid s. 9
(6) Ibid. s. 10
(7) State Rail Authority Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 1997 p. 3
(8) Ibid. p. 11-12
(9) State Rail Authority Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 1998 p. 3
(10) State Rail Authority Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2000 p. 4
(11) Ibid p. 3
(12) The Transport administration Amendment (Rail Agencies) Act 2003 Schedule 8 Part 1, 2. Objectives of the State Rail Authority
(13) Ibid. Part 1, 3. Functions of the State Rail Authority
(14) Ibid. Part 1, 4. Sale, lease or other disposal of land
(15) Ibid. Part 2, 5. Old Board to continue for limited period.
(16) Ibid. Part 2, 6- 8 Chief Executive Officer
(17) Ibid. Part 4, 19 Miscellaneous
(18) Rail Corp web site http://www.railcorp.nsw.gov.au/ accessed 15 January 2004