Page 825 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 20 March 2019
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Rather, the criteria for grants programs need to take the distinct marginalised or disadvantaged groups into account. In that way the entire community has more awareness and visibility of these groups.
Debate interrupted in accordance with standing order 74 and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for a later hour.
Sitting suspended from 11.57 am to 2.00 pm.
Questions without notice
Light rail—safety
MR COE: My question is to the Minister for Transport: I refer to the two recent serious incidents between a light rail vehicle and members of the public. Minister, when will the government release an audit of all incidents that have occurred during the construction and testing phases of light rail?
MS FITZHARRIS: I thank Mr Coe for the question. There is currently a range of regulatory and certification processes that Canberra Metro is going through in order for light rail to become operational. The government has great confidence in these processes to make sure that light rail operates safely for our community.
I will advise the Assembly on some of those systems that are already in place. Canberra Metro is subject to internal audits on its safety systems, including a review of the safety assurance deliverables by the territory as well as the project’s independent certifier and review by the independent safety assessor. Overall independent regulation of project safety includes through WorkSafe ACT in terms of construction site safety; the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator, ONRSR, an independent body enforcing safe rail operations; and the utilities technical regulator, to review and certify the system as safe to operate, which includes the issue of a provision of service licence to enable operations.
These are very robust processes and they are what the government is relying upon to ensure that there is a safe light rail system operating in Canberra.
MR COE: Minister, despite all those processes and agencies, why did the safety standards fail to prevent the incidents occurring in Canberra?
MS FITZHARRIS: There were two incidents, as Mr Coe referred to, and these are exactly the sorts of incidents that we are spreading awareness about. Certainly in terms of the pedestrian incident there have been quite significant campaigns run by Transport Canberra and, indeed, Canberra Metro. But of course, as is the case, this really unfortunate event has meant that, I think, community awareness has been heightened.
Certainly in terms of Canberra Metro’s response to a vehicle travelling through a red light, as has been stated publicly, that driver has been suspended and an investigation is underway. I am advised that that was a matter of driver error and not a matter of a signalling error.
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