Redcliffe Peninsula line & associated changes - rail

[ozbob]

INDEC report January 2016

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Documents/TableOffice/TabledPapers/2016/5516T1941.pdf

[ozbob]

Thanks to @Metro for picking this up:

===============

QR's briefing for the first week of October under "Sensitivity"

• Rail Back on Track advocate, Robert Dow has been active on social media about the cancelled
services on Friday 30 September 2016.

• On Saturday 1 October 2016, Mr Dow emailed Queensland media outlets to raise the issue of
Friday's cancelled services and query Queensland Rail's ability to deliver the new timetable in
conjunction with the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula line.

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Documents/TableOffice/TabledPapers/2016/5516T1940.pdf

^ As I understand it, this was the first occasion that the Minster for Transport became aware of issues.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

26th November 2016

A suggested rail timetable fix

Good Morning,

Ongoing Queensland Rail service cancellations are only adding fuel to the fire of discontent and rage.  It is time to step up and do what should have been done when the Redcliffe Peninsula Line opened. Operate that line as a shuttle service until such time there are sufficient train crew to deliver a reliable new timetable.

Rail fail fix

Queensland Rail needs to revert to the previous rail timetable (September 2016), that is the one in operation prior to the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line. This was being delivered with a high degree of reliability.

Shuttle services between Petrie and Kippa-Ring need to be layered on that, with perhaps some peak direct services. 

This was the approach that was used when the Richlands line opened in January 2011 [ A copy of the Richlands interim timetable can be found here > Richlands Jan 2011 interim timetable  ]. Shuttles operated until such time the full new sector one timetable was implemented in June 2011.

Introduce shuttle services (mainly off peak) on the Redcliffe Peninsula Line between Petrie <> Kippa-Ring.  Yes this is an inconvenience but it will take the pressure off all lines, and allow all train crew to be made route ready without the present pressures and will provide a reserve for New Generation Rollingstock testing and training, and time to get new crews up to speed.  Queensland Rail staff are obviously under considerable strain due to the bungling, and it is time to stabilise the situation for them and the long suffering Queensland Rail passengers.

The present ' new timetables ' are just a smorgasbord of service cuts and non delivery.  Hardly satisfactory.  Time for the big steps and some real political leadership.

Further more it is time that the authorities came clean on the New Generation Rollingstock project.  What is going on?  When will we see the new trains in service?

Enough of the spin and bull-dust, time to come clean with the truth.  What is the disability access plan for these trains?

Can a broom be put through TransLink and TMR too please?

They had carriage of both Moreton Bay Rail Link and the New Generation Rollingstock projects, both abysmal project failures at this point. Or do they get cash bonuses too?

Enough of the mediocrity.  Time to sort it once and for all.

Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

Sent to all outlets:

25th November 2016

Greetings,

A lot more train service cancellations this afternoon/evening/night due to ' operational reasons ' what ever that means.

>>  https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ

One wonders what is actually going on hey? 

Not really getting any more reliable is it despite the assurances that it would?  Less services, still unable to be delivered.

This is a turning into a real festering mess now.

Farce!

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Fixing #railfail @QueenslandRail #weareheretohelp #whatwouldweknow
> https://t.co/qjiRXN8rC6#qldpol@StirlHinchliffe @AnnastaciaMP pic.twitter.com/hqVLaYwxbU

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 26, 2016

[#Metro]

The INDEC report is absolutely explosive because it actually spells out in Black and White that Queensland Rail had a shortage of staff.

Counter-intutitively, the report  also says that there were enough tutor drivers. 

The above factors indicate that QR has close to the appropriate level of Tutor Drivers to manage the
day to day needs of the organisation. p19

It also seems that supervisors had too many people under them to watch over also, being 2x the nearest comparable railway.

And there are all sorts of things linked from the Hansard document. Like this person who was rejected from training:

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Documents/TableOffice/TabledPapers/2016/5516T1951.pdf

(EMAIL)

Attention: Hon Timothy Nicholls
REF: Queensland Rail Train Crew shortage

On 17 December, 2015 I submitted an application for Train Crew - Guard position at
Queensland Railways which was posted on their QR Career website.

I successfully screened and was selected to undertake the Aptitude and Ability test which I
passed and was waiting for interview. After waiting until 22 April 2016 the recruitment
process was cancelled as they were forced by the Unions to only recruit internally. Having
proceeded so far in the recruitment process, I was disappointed. Having said this, now they
have a shortage of train crew which amazes me.

I would like to know how it is that in April 2016 they no longer needed external applicants
but in October 2016 they have a shortage of drivers and guards.

I am still very interested in a role at Queensland Railway in either a Guard or Driver role.
I have forwarded the email sent to me on 22 April, 20 16.

Best regards

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Queensland Rail executives went on European business trip before train chaos

EX-RAIL chief Helen Gluer and another key executive took a European business trip just weeks before the bungled opening of the new Redcliffe rail line plunged the Brisbane train network into chaos.

The Sunday Mail can reveal Queensland Rail's chief operating officer, Kevin Wright, joined Ms Gluer on a two-week trip, leaving on September 2 as the crisis was looming.

They visited rail operators and manufacturers in the UK, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland.

Ms Gluer returned the day before the shutdown of the Caboolture line — closed to prepare for the upcoming new Redcliffe line opening — which caused days of pain for commuters.

But Mr Wright stayed on holiday after the trip, only returning to work on October 13.

He received a $77,000 performance bonus that month.

By then, commuters had faced weeks of hell due to mass train cancellations caused by the driver shortage and brought to a head by the Redcliffe line opening on October 3.

A QR manager in charge of train service delivery was sacked on October 25, with Ms Gluer and board chairman Michael Klug handing in their resignations soon after.

Mr Wright has kept his job, despite involvement in a review warning of the driver shortage. He was one of 26 QR staff members interviewed by consultants Indec for the review, which warned of a "critical shortage" of drivers that would worsen with the opening of the new line.

The damning review found there were not enough drivers to meet the needs of the Redcliffe line opening and detailed planning was needed to manage QR's new train timetable.

The Indec report was prepared for a senior manager who reports directly to Mr Wright.

A QR spokeswoman said the QR Board approved the $37,524 trip to "gain valuable operating experience in the European Train Control System" ahead of its implementation in Queensland.

She said Ms Gluer approved Mr Wright's request to take a month of leave after the trip.

It is understood he was still in Europe at the height of the driver shortage crisis.

QR has refused to say whether Mr Wright received the final Indec report and what action he took, saying it was a "matter for the independent review".

It has defended Mr Wright's $77,000 bonus, saying it related to the 2015-16 year and was a board decision. The payment was the highest allowed under QR's bonus scheme and on top of his $637,000 annual salary package, according to QR's annual report.

[ozbob]

^ not the best of timing.  CM is having a field day now ..

QR chiefs' European vacation > https://t.co/VWw4yih4tC #qldpol

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 26, 2016

[ozbob]

We request Premier @AnnastaciaMP sack @QueenslandRail Board!
> https://t.co/kZIjh67cf1#qldpol #railfail@StirlHinchliffe @Curtis_Pitt_MP pic.twitter.com/gSU8DiPYzQ

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 26, 2016

[#Metro]

Courier-Mail beat up.

Costs seem reasonable. Justifiable reason: they were going to look at ERTMS - so obviously had to be a EU country.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Rail_Traffic_Management_System

Just a case of bad timing.



Has the Minister for Transport blocked bonus payouts for next year? If not, why not?

[ozbob]

The Front Page of the Sunday Mail this morning ... oh dear ..

[#Metro]

IMHO this is quite unfair.

While I am unhappy with Queensland Rail and special-privilege protected monopoly suppliers (both gov't and private) generally providing our public transport - fair is fair.

Sunday Mail has failed to show that the costs were (a) unreasonable, (b) not for work purposes, (c) misused.

Its gripe was that the timing was wrong. 

[ozbob]

Yes, trip was valid but the timing sadly has turned out abysmal.

The press is political - reality, hardly unexpected though. 

I knew about the overseas trip and said nothing as it was not a factor in the #railfail issues IMHO.

The sad thing is some mud will stick. Parliament could be interesting next week. 

[ozbob]

Difficulty obtaining QR documents into train crewing raises commission of inquiry

[ozbob]

I raised concerns re #railfail before it happened hey ..
Ignored essentially ..
From https://t.co/4k90ckRMP6#qldpol#triedtowarnbutignored pic.twitter.com/9wrpboNeJG

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 26, 2016

^

There is a way forward ..
&#39; A suggested rail timetable fix &#39;
> https://t.co/DlFmqPrJnF#qldpol#whatwouldweknow#ignoreatyourperil https://t.co/4Jp30Y57VV

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 26, 2016

[ozbob]

Sunday Mail --> Editorial: Don't reward Queensland Rail mismanagement

QUEENSLAND Rail is everything taxpayers dislike about a bloated bureaucracy. Corpulent, cavalier and – in many senses – incompetent, it is the antithesis of how private enterprise has been forced to adapt to the sophisticated and challenging fiscal times of today.

It is that attitude – an inability to accept accountability and responsibility – that has bred a culture that has effectively presided over the worst government decision-making process and bungling since the botched health payroll scandal.

Commissioning a new railway service without the necessary number of drivers is almost Monty Pythonesque in its incompetence. Now, as we reveal today, former railways chief Helen Gluer and a key executive took a European business trip just weeks before the bungled opening of the Redcliffe rail line that plunged the Citytrain network into crisis.

Queensland Rail chief operating officer Kevin Wright only returned to Australia after commuters had faced weeks of hell due to mass train cancellations caused by a shortage of drivers.

The Sunday Mail is not suggesting that bureaucrats should not learn new tricks from other countries. What we do say is taxpayers and commuters affected by the rail bungle will be aghast at the timing of this $37,000 so-called "study tour''.

Ms Gluer and Queensland Rail's chief operating officer, Kevin Wright, left for Europe on September 2. Ms Gluer returned the day before the shutdown of the Caboolture rail line – closed to prepare for the upcoming new Redcliffe line opening – which caused weeks of pain for commuters. But Mr Wright stayed on holiday after the trip, only returning to work on October 13.

By then, commuters had faced weeks of hell due to mass train cancellations caused by the driver shortage and brought to a head by the Redcliffe Peninsula line opening on October 3.

So, as Rome burned, Nero fiddled. Mr Wright still has his job. And he received a performance bonus of $77,000 on top of his $637,000 annual salary package.

Is this the reality of accountable government bureaucracy? Do we reward lack of performance with huge bonuses and travel perks?

QR shelled out $7.78 million in performance bonuses in the 2015-16 fiscal year. We would sincerely hope – based on the fiasco of the past few months – that no one will get a bonus from QR this year.

[ozbob]

9 News --> Qld premier 'appalled' by QR European trip

A European business trip taken by two Queensland Rail executives just before Brisbane's train timetable crisis has been slammed by the state's premier.

Annastacia Palaszczuk says it's "appalling" the railway operator allowed then CEO Helen Gluer and executive Kevin Wright to go on the trip when they should have been preparing for the opening of the new Redcliffe line.

"I think everyone should be appalled at the fact that at a time when Queensland Rail was due to be rolling out a new timetable that senior executives were not focused on the job", she said on Sunday.

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/11/27/13/30/qld-premier-appalled-by-qr-european-trip#UzJsukQQmz4gwmuo.99

[#Metro]

Here we go, bring out the offended word parade.

Yep, so "angry", "furious" and "appalled" that she's going to leave everything exactly the same.

No action on the board members, no action on the bonuses, no change to the structure, whole thing is still going to be a privileged monopoly supplier, etc etc.

So in a few years down the track, something else can go wrong, and we can do it all over again.

#ByeAnnastacia!

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Queensland Rail calls in crisis management expert

TAXPAYERS will pay for a crisis management expert called in by Queensland Rail for an undisclosed sum to help navigate the fallout from its train driver debacle.

Kym Charlton has been appointed by QR's acting chief executive, Neil Scales, to help the rail operator recover from weeks of criticism over its botched Redcliffe Peninsula rail link opening, which left hundreds of train services without drivers and passengers stranded on station platforms.

It comes as an independent inquiry by Phillip Strachan had its powers ramped up on Friday after Mr Strachan revealed in a letter that QR stonewalling was hampering his investigation.

Ms Charlton started work as a "recovery strategy manager" at QR this month, shifting from her job as a customer engagement executive director in the Transport Department.

She is a "highly experienced crisis and reputation management specialist" who does her "best work under pressure," according to her LinkedIn profile.

"I am an experienced communications professional who is excited by the challenges of managing crises and emergency situations, be they reputation risk or natural disaster," her LinkedIn page states.

"There is nothing like a crisis to bring to light opportunities which may have otherwise remained hidden."

Ms Charlton told The Courier-Mail late last week that she had "come over to assist" QR.

A spokeswoman said she was hired by Mr Scales, but QR would not reveal the cost.

Mr Scales was formerly Ms Charlton's boss as the Department of Transport and Main Roads director-general until his appointment as acting CEO last month.

He replaced former QR chief Helen Gluer, who quit after mass train service cancellations.

QR has faced a wave of criticism over its flawed management of the Redcliffe rail line opening and associated new timetable rollout, which exposed a union stranglehold over driver recruits.

That continued on the weekend when The Sunday Mail revealed rail bosses were on a $37,524 business trip across Europe in the critical lead-up to the rollout.

Ms Gluer was joined on the trip by chief operating officer Kevin Wright, who took a month of leave following the travel, returning weeks after the rail timetable collapsed.

This is despite an independent review warning the unit he oversaw in February of the driver shortage. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday blasted the timing of the trip.

"I think everyone should be appalled at the fact that at a time when Queensland Rail was due to be rolling out a new timetable that senior executives were not focused on their job," she said.

"Let me make it very clear that was a Queensland Rail board decision and of course it was an inappropriate decision to make.''

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

28th November 2016

Public transport failure SEQ

Good Morning,

The Transport Authorities' lack of response to the scourge of ad-wrap is symptomatic of the wider issues.

It is as if they have contempt for public transport passengers.  Despite constant feedback that ad-wrap is very disorientating for many, and is in fact a genuine security risk they ignore our pleas to remove it. Public transport vehicles have windows for a reason - it is not for ad-wrap.

Public transport in SEQ is headlong into failure.  The problems with Queensland Rail were seen to be coming and we highlighted those concerns.

A list of a few more concerns with public transport in SEQ.

1. Organisational structure - a circus of mismanagement with TransLink, Brisbane City Council, Queensland Rail, and  the State Government sitting in silos of replication and inefficiency.  Politics dominates sound policy. No wonder little actually gets achieved.

2. Brisbane bus network - needs urgent reform.

3. Brisbane Metro - as proposed an absurdity.  The State Government has failed to challenge this with the end result that Brisbane ratepayers money is being wasted on a nonsense, and Prime Minister is attempting to link funding of Cross River Rail to the Brisbane ' Metro ' which has to be one of the most perverse outcomes for public transport in SEQ ever!

4. The simple things, like all door boarding on high frequency buses is too hard for Queensland.  Logical arrangement of CBD bus stops too hard!

5. Infrastructure stalemate.

6. Failure to convert Victoria Bridge into a bus and active transport bridge only.  Massive bus network failure looms.

7. Snail pace fare reform - is to eventually happen, hopefully in January 2017, but we cannot be to confident can we?

8. New Generation Rollingstock trains - clearly problems, trains have been in Queensland since February 2016, none have seen a passenger yet.

9. Failure to clarify fare policy on rail replacement buses - despite assurances that this would be done.

10.  Ongoing signalling issues with Petrie - Redcliffe Peninsula line.

Not a pretty list is it?  But that spells out the mess it actually is.  Want a cash bonus with that?

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

[ Attached: https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10971.msg184102#msg184102 ]

[ozbob]

Latest media: &#39; Public transport failure SEQ &#39;
> https://t.co/DyWhUXnJyJ#qldpol #railfail@AnnastaciaMP @StirlHinchliffe @TimNichollsMP pic.twitter.com/Kw8rnPm2pL

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 27, 2016

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 28th November 2016 page 13

Sympathy for Queensland Rail staff

[ozbob]

Git rid of the QR Board, and bring back Mr Vincent O'Rourke AM as Rail Commissioner!

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Queensland Rail timetable debacle: More than 200 trainee drivers move a step closer to qualifying

MORE than 200 trainee drivers and guards have progressed to the next level of training, as Queensland Rail desperately tries to fill a backlog of positions which caused the timetable crisis.

Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said 231 applicants to become drivers had passed psychometric testing and interviews and 227 trainee guards had passed to the next step of training.

"We have a good pipeline of potential drivers and guards to fill these positions," he said.

"We are in the business of fast-tracking the training that we are doing but we can't compromise safety."

Some of the trainee drivers and guards were selected in last year's recruitment drive, and are expected to finish in the coming weeks.

"There are some (drivers and guards) that I understand will be finalised in the next few weeks," Mr Hinchliffe said.

The driver shortage caused commuter chaos in October, after the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line when it became obvious there were not enough drivers to deliver the new timetable.

Queensland Rail's former chief executive Helen Gluer and board chairman Michael Klug resigned over the debacle last month.

Queensland Rail acting chief executive Neil Scales would not comment on the amount of money paid to hire a crisis management expert, Kym Charlton, from Transport and Main Roads.

But Mr Scales said Ms Charlton left QR on Friday after doing "a very good job".

[ozbob]

ABC News --> QR refusal to hand over documents 'a matter for the board', acting CEO Neil Scales says

Queensland Rail (QR) acting chief Neil Scales is taking no responsibility for an apparent refusal to cooperate with an investigation into a train driver shortage that caused mass disruption on the network.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk handed investigator Phillip Strachan the powers of a commission of inquiry after he complained QR and its board only handed over heavily redacted documents, and insisted interviews be confidential.

Transport director general and QR acting chief executive Neil Scales said that was the board's decision.

"It's a matter for the board how they interact with that, but we're on the right track now I don't think it's an issue," he said.

Mr Scales said he had not discussed the matter with the board, but did not believe the matter reflected poorly on the culture within QR.

He agreed he had a key management role, but said he worked for the board.

"I take direction from the board, I work for the board, but the bottom line is we're back on track now," he said.

"All the documents will be offered up — Mr Strachan's got commission powers, so he's had several interviews with staff already there's more taking place today."

Mr Scales said he would meet with Mr Strachan this afternoon.

Asked whether Mr Scales' response was good enough, Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said he and the acting CEO were focused on delivering services to customers now and in future.

"The matters for what's occurred in the past are, in the first instance, matters for Mr Strachan and I look forward to the outcomes of his inquiry," Mr Hinchliffe said.

The Minister has repeatedly resisted calls for his resignation over the driver shortage, which began when the Redcliffe Peninsula line started operating in early October.

Mr Hinchliffe said he was only told in late October about a report prepared for QR in January warning of a looming driver shortage.

He said today 230 potential new drivers had passed the first stage of testing in the recruitment process, while 227 potential train guards had passed their first stage of recruitment.

The Government is trying to hire and train 200 drivers and 200 guards to address the driver shortage.

"We've now got a good pipeline of potential drivers and guards to fill these positions," Mr Hinchliffe said.

Driver training can take up to a year.

[Stillwater]

So, a 'crisis management expert' is hired to sooth staff morale at QR, while the customers continue to suffer from the fall-out; with no end in sight. 

[ozbob]

So, a 'crisis management expert' is hired to sooth staff morale at QR, while the customers continue to suffer from the fall-out; with no end in sight.

Yes.  This mornings media event at Mayne, has not really addressed the issues that matter to punters now, right now.

Appears to be purely defensive.  This should have been augmented with positives ( ' messages ' ) that have an impact today.

Completely out of touch.  Advice for the the Minister et al is off target IMHO.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Rail debacle: QR boss says document disclosure a matter for the board

Queensland Rail's acting chief says he has not spoken to the board about documents not being provided to an official inquiry.

Last week, it was revealed Philip Strachan, who is leading a review into Queensland Rail, was not receiving the documents he needed, causing Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to ramp up the investigation.

The review follows a timetable disaster caused by a lack of train drivers amid the opening of the new Redcliffe Peninsula Line.

Acting chief executive officer Neil Scales said the issue of documents not being provided to the Strachan inquiry were "one for the board".

Mr Scales said he had not spoken to the board about documents not being provided to the Strachan inquiry.

When asked if the issue had crossed his desk, Mr Scales said: "No. And that's a matter for the board but we're on the right track now as far as the Strachan inquiry is concerned".

"I'm meeting Mr Strachan later on today," he said.

Mr Scales said he took direction from the board.

"I work for the board, but the bottom line is we're back on track now, all the documents will be offered up," he said.

"He's had several interviews with staff already, there's more taking place today so I think it's all about getting to the bottom of it and making sure Mr Strachan has got everything he needs."

Regarding reports Queensland Rail had employed a crisis management expert, Mr Scales refused to detail how much she was paid.

"We brought Kym (Charlton) on for a short term temporary resource, released from Transport and Main roads," Mr Scales said.

"Kym left us on Friday having done a very good job.

"I don't think it's actually right to quote individual salaries at this point. They'll be disclosed in the annual report in due course."

Former chief executive Helen Gluer and board chairman Michael Klug resigned last month over the train crewing debacle.

Queensland Rail now has 231 driver and 227 guard candidates who have passed the first stage of testing to become a trainee driver or guard.

Having passed psychometric testing, they will now move on to the next phase of testing.

Panel interviews were held on November 21, with psychomotor testing beginning to test candidates' situational awareness, reaction time, visual coordination, stress recovery and speed and trajectory judgement.

The recruitment drive for 100 new drivers and 100 new guards, announced in December 2015, resulted in the recruitment of 63 new guards and 58 new drivers.

Candidates from the latest round would be considered for available positions, with a further 26 driver and nine guard candidates also in the final recruitment stages.

Queensland Rail also received 394 applications for a trainee driver position and 505 applications to be a trainee guard in the latest round of recruitment in October.

Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the recruitment process was very detailed and could take up to 12 months to train a driver.

If Queensland Rail was unable to fill all positions from the existing applications, it would assess the capacity and ability of external applicants.

[ozbob]

Been listening to a some radio news reports from the media event this morning re train crew training.

Most reports are stressing it can take up to 12 months to train a driver.  The result of this will be that the public will perceive that there is no resolution to the ongoing mess for sometime.  That is not actually the case.  Once job rules get sorted and the few crew coming through right now are on the job they could probably revert back to 4 Oct 2016 timetable.

Maybe might be some more in Parliament this week.

[Stillwater]

^^ Hope so.  It's hardly been a case of 'open and transparent government' with QR withholding documents, redacting others, insisting that interview details remain confidential and seeking legal advice about how they could obfuscate and delay.  It sounds like a case for pulling apart QR/TransLink and reconstruct a new PT management body for SEQ.  That should be the price for QR's 'non-cooperation'.

[wbj]

It makes one wonder who the Board think its stakeholders and owners are.  If the Board is obfuscating and being unco-operative then it looks like sufficient justification to sack the rest od the Board.  They already seem to be in the firing line for the manpower and timetable fiascos.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

29th November 2016

METRO Trains Melbourne Assistance Offer to Queensland Rail

Greetings,

RAIL Back on Track understands that METRO Trains Melbourne has offered to assist in accelerating driver training for Queensland Rail.

We also understand that the decision to accept assistance has not been ruled out absolutely, but at this time the offer has not been taken up.

We are in the middle of a crisis with services cancelled left right and centre.

Our impression from the media a few weeks ago was that driver training was a bottleneck. What changed?

We need the proverbial book thrown at the problem, and if this requires the assistance of another operator, so be it.

The impression we have is the sooner we can get drivers trained, the sooner the entire SEQ rail network can return to a normal timetable.

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

Reference:

1. Queensland Rail knocks back offer of help amid staffing crisis
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/queensland-rail-knocks-back-offer-of-help-amid-staffing-crisis/news-story/0eceffc8c73bad28df1f5a5dc2b89676

[ozbob]

Latest media: &#39; @metrotrains Melbourne Assistance Offer to @QueenslandRail &#39;
> https://t.co/fjhX6tHmEN#qldpol #springst
Whoa ... pic.twitter.com/kTPkqFLFmA

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 28, 2016

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Queensland Rail knocks back offer of help amid staffing crisis

QUEENSLAND Rail has shunned a lifeline cast by Melbourne's rail operator to ease its driver shortage calamity by helping speed up the training of hundreds of new recruits.

Melbourne's Metro Trains offered to come to QR's rescue on November 8 by supplying driver trainers to help clear a major backlog in training.

It is understood the offer involved recruits travelling to Melbourne, or drivers being flown to Brisbane, to help deliver training modules not affected by differences in the states' rail systems.

The offer came after QR admitted late last month it was desperately short of driver trainers, with the first available spot in its training school not opening until July 2017.

It has exacerbated a critical shortage of drivers that has forced hundreds of services to be axed.

QR knocked back the offer to instead try to solve the delays in-house although a QR spokeswoman last night said the offer "has not been ruled out".

Opposition Transport spokesman Andrew Powell seized on the knock-back as evidence the unions were in control of staffing at QR after internal hiring rules were bolstered in October.

Mr Powell said it was "yet more evidence of the stranglehold the Palaszczuk Government allows union bosses to have over QR's operations".

QR's acting chief executive Neil Scales has hired top HR lawyer Robin Franklin to help with union negotiations on a new traincrew enterprise agreement. He is understood to be working as a consultant, which sources say can cost up to $400 an hour. Mr Franklin previously worked as an HR chief at QR.

Mr Scales also hired crisis management specialist Kym Charlton this month. Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said 231 driver applicants had passed interviews and 227 guards were in training.

[ozbob]

Passengers warned to expect even more changes to the @QueenslandRail timetable. @EmilyPrain9 #9News https://t.co/pzhzNxFVBy

— Nine News Brisbane (@9NewsBrisbane) November 28, 2016

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament Hansard 29th November 2016

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/2016/2016_11_29_DAILY.pdf

Ministerial Statements

Queensland Rail, Train Crew

Hon. SJ HINCHLIFFE (Sandgate—ALP) (Minister for Transport and the Commonwealth Games)
(10.20 am): I wish to provide the House with of an update on the Citytrain crewing issues. As I have
previously advised the House, the Palaszczuk government recently doubled Queensland Rail's train
crewing recruitment target, announcing an additional 100 drivers and 100 guard positions to ensure
that we have enough train crew to deliver the services that the travelling public deserves into the future.
Let us not forget that the last major recruitment of drivers before December last year under the
Palaszczuk government was in 2011 under another Labor government undertaken by the now Premier.

We have heard details before in this place about the job losses suffered by Queensland Rail during the
intervening period and, frankly, we are now playing catch-up.

Targeting recruitment is a critical first step to deliver on the government's five-point plan, because
we need a pool of recruits to enter into the training programs as soon as possible so that we have the
train crew numbers that we need going forward. That is why I was pleased to confirm yesterday that a
number of candidates have progressed through the first stage of testing to become a trainee driver or
guard as part of Queensland Rail's fast-tracked recruitment.

As I have informed the House previously, Queensland Rail received 394 applications for a trainee
driver position and 505 applications to be a trainee guard in the latest round of recruitment. Now, all
applicants have undergone the first stage of testing and we can report that 231 driver candidates and
227 guard candidates have progressed to the second stage.
Panel interviews began last week—on 21 November—and psychomotor testing is now underway
to test candidates' situational awareness, reaction time, visual coordination, stress recovery and speed
and trajectory judgement. It is critical that candidates undergo rigorous testing to ensure that they are
the right people for the job. These are safety-critical roles.

Drivers need to learn thousands of signals, whistle boards and stopping points. Before the driver
even gets to the classroom, there is extensive testing for competency, attention span and concentration
levels, because safety is Queensland Rail's No. 1 priority. A train can travel up to 140 kilometres an
hour and there can be up to 700 passengers on a fully loaded train. We need to maintain rigorous
standards to find the right candidate and ensure that high safety standards are always maintained.
Queensland Rail is now quickly moving to fill these safety-critical roles through a process that
involves short-listing, interviews, psychomotor assessments and medical assessments in line with
national standards. Training for drivers and guards is competency based and involves a range of
learning modules, including theoretical and practical components. Queensland Rail is currently
investigating opportunities to accelerate current training time frames, as I am currently advised that it
can take around 12 months to become a qualified train driver and about three months to become a
qualified train guard.

As part of the government's five point plan, I have tasked Queensland Rail with doing everything
that we can to speed up the training process, but safety must always be the key. To that end, I have
been advised that discussions have been held with Melbourne Metro about working together to boost
training capacity in Queensland. That offer was made at the start of the month to the acting CEO and
is being considered. I should note that I am advised that Melbourne trains utilise significantly different
train systems and, therefore, that we need to proceed carefully in assessing whether this offer would
assist in the speeding up of training. That work is currently underway in line with the five-point plan and
nothing has been ruled out at this stage.

On our recruitment drive, Queensland Rail has finalised the internal recruitment process. It will
assess the capacity and ability of all applicants and, where further vacancies exist, look at external
recruitment. I will continue to work closely with Queensland Rail to successfully deliver the five-point
plan and look at options to ensure that we can fast-track plans to bring on the more drivers and guards
that we need

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament Hansard 29th November 2016

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/2016/2016_11_29_DAILY.pdf

Questions without notice

Queensland Rail

Mr POWELL: My question without notice is to the Minister for Transport. As part of the minister's
further efforts to duckshove and to avoid responsibility, is the minister considering—
Mr PITT: Mr Speaker, I rise to a point of order. The use of the word 'duckshove' is clearly an
inference and I ask that you counsel the member on his behaviour.

Mr SPEAKER: Member for Glass House, will you repeat your question deleting that word?

Mr POWELL: My question is to the Minister for Transport. As part of the minister's further efforts
to avoid responsibility, is the minister considering dismissing the entire Queensland Rail board including
former Labor transport minister John Mickel for their unwillingness to work with the Strachan review
and the acting CEO?

Mr SPEAKER: I will allow the question. I call the minister.

Mr HINCHLIFFE: I thank the member for Glass House for the question, because it gives me a
chance to reiterate comments that I have made outside this place which I am happy to repeat inside
this place. I am, in the first instance, working very closely with Queensland Rail, with the acting CEO
and with the board to make sure that we address the issues around the delivery of reliable services for
commuters in South-East Queensland now. That is my highest and most important priority.
Equally, it is vitally important that we get to the bottom of the issues and problems that have led
to the train crew shortage that is being experienced by the Citytrain network right now. That is why the
independent investigation and now inquiry established by the Premier and led by Mr Strachan is so
very important. That is why it is very important that Mr Strachan has access to all of the information that
can inform him about the decisions and experiences that have led to this situation with the shortage of
train crew on our Citytrain network.

I am very pleased that Mr Strachan will be getting access not only to all the documents that are
held as I provided them from my office and as I tabled them in this parliament in the last sitting week
but also to documents from the Department of Transport and Main Roads. He will also be able to access
all the documents that he requires from Queensland Rail including those which stretch back over time.
I appreciate that he now has the ability to approach the opposition, as I have approached the opposition,
about documents which are relevant to decisions previous governments have made.

Mr POWELL: Mr Speaker, I rise to a point of order on relevance. The question asked the minister
if he is considering sacking the entire Queensland Rail board. The minister has not answered the
question.

Mr SPEAKER: Order! Minister, do you have anything further you wish to add?

Mr HINCHLIFFE: Yes, because I was making a number of points to give colour and background
in answering the question. As I was saying, the Strachan inquiry will be vitally important in informing
the broader community and particularly informing myself as minister, my fellow shareholding minister
the Treasurer and, indeed, the whole of the government about what actions we should be taking going
forward in relation to making sure that we have the best arrangements for delivery of quality, efficient
and reliable rail services here in South-East Queensland and beyond. That is why it is vitally important
that we are informed by the Strachan inquiry, and that will inform the decisions we will make going
forward.

Queensland Rail, Ms Kym Charlton

Mr EMERSON: My question is to the Minister for Transport. I refer the minister to the
appointment of spin doctor Kym Charlton to manage the minister's reputation, and I ask: how much
money is QR diverting away from services to protect the minister rather than manage the railways?

Mr HINCHLIFFE: I want to thank the member for Indooroopilly for his question. I think he has
misunderstood some fundamentals in relation to the issue to which he is referring. The person, who
was temporarily an employee of Queensland Rail, to whom he is referring was appointed by
Queensland Rail to deal with Queensland Rail media matters. It was not anything to do with my activities
and media roles. Equally, I note, as the acting CEO noted yesterday, that that individual's work that
was being done in what was described as the recovery process was completed on Friday. When we
see the shadow Treasurer taking such a keen interest in these matters around Queensland Rail it gives
us an opportunity to reiterate the message to the opposition that they fully cooperate and that they
provide the information they have available to them to Mr Strachan as that informs this very important
inquiry process. I want to make sure that they are very cognisant of this and that they and the shadow
Treasurer contemplates, understands and gives advice potentially to his leader about whether that
information that might relate to materials and work that the Macquarie Bank or KPMG did for the
previous government in order to support plans around the franchising of Queensland Rail—the effective
privatisation of Queensland Rail. They should provide that information to Mr Strachan and he should
be given the ability to consider those matters.

I would encourage the member for Indooroopilly to make sure he supports all the information
becoming available to Mr Strachan and that he continues to do the work that I think will be very
informative to all of Queensland about how we can ensure that we deliver the best quality Citytrain
services to the commuters in South-East Queensland into the future

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament Hansard 29th November 2016

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/2016/2016_11_29_DAILY.pdf

Queensland Rail

Mr MANDER: My question is of the Minister for Transport. Last month Queensland Rail revealed
that since the opening of the Redcliffe peninsula rail line the overtime bill for Citytrain drivers and guards
approached $1 million per fortnight, suggesting that to date QR has spent nearly $4 million on overtime
for Citytrain drivers and guards. Will the minister come clean on just how much taxpayers' money has
been wasted on this rail mess?

Mr HINCHLIFFE: I wish to thank the member for Everton for his question and highlight how
important it is that we manage and deal with the issues that are important for Queensland Rail in relation
to the driver crew shortage we are experiencing. In relation to the overtime bill, it is certainly true that
the driver and crew shortage we have been experiencing has meant that a lot of the load has been
carried through overtime by the current cohort of drivers and guards. Drivers earn an average of
approximately 30 per cent on top of their base pay in overtime, and that has been the case for a number
of years. From 4-18 October this rose to some 38 per cent above their base pay for that period as a
result of these pressures and issues that were being experienced in the context of the delivery of what
the former CEO described as the 'ambitious' timetable that was implemented on 4 October.

Overtime is a very important component of many workplaces right across our economy where
shifts and flexibility are required. From time to time we hear from people in private industry who want
to see greater levels of flexibility in the way that overtime can be used, and that is one key management
technique. Providing incentives to workers for working unusual or extended hours allows companies to
appropriately staff services, and that is one of the measures that Queensland Rail uses. Just as a shop
factors in penalty rates for opening on weekends or a hospital pays overtime to ensure that emergency
rooms operate and are staffed at all hours, overtime plays a role in ensuring that Queensland Rail can
deliver its services.

Queensland Rail will work to return the overtime numbers to within an acceptable range, but we
will not compromise on our fatigue standards. That is why the use and the development of overtime
which we have seen has been very important, and that is why we will make sure that we have extra
training to increase the number of drivers and guards in our train crewing system to be able to respond
to and manage the situation. I note and accept—

Mr MANDER: I rise to a point of order on the question of relevance. We do not want a lecture
about overtime and the reasons for it. We want to know the amount of money that has been wasted
because of this railway mess.

Mr SPEAKER: I call the minister. Can you make your answer relevant to the question, please?

Mr HINCHLIFFE: I acknowledge the fact that an average overtime expenditure of 38 per cent
rather than 30 per cent is very challenging, and that is not where we want to be going forward. We want
to have this in a manageable space and make sure that we deal with these things going forward, and
that is why I am happy to make sure that all the reporting information available through Queensland
Rail is made available to the House in the normal way

Queensland Rail, Train Crew

Mr BLEIJIE: My question without notice is to the Minister for Transport.

A government member: Take your glasses off next time you get a suntan.

Mr BLEIJIE: This is your mature Queensland government.

Government members interjected.

Mr SPEAKER: Members, thank you. We have two more days to go.

Mr Pitt interjected.
Mr SPEAKER: No, Treasurer, please. I want to hear the question.

Mr BLEIJIE: My question without notice is to the Minister for Transport. Metro Trains in Victoria
has trains that run on time—

Ms Jones interjected.

Mr SPEAKER: Minister for Education, you are warned under standing order 253A for your
interjections. If you persist I will take the appropriate action. Member for Kawana, will you restart your
question, please.

Mr BLEIJIE: Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Government members interjected.

Mr SPEAKER: Members, that is unparliamentary.

Mr BLEIJIE: My question without notice is to the Minister for Transport. Metro Trains in Victoria
has trains that run on time and trains with drivers and has offered to second experienced and licensed
driver trainers to QR to ease the pressure on the current driver crisis. If the minister is committed to
fixing the rail mess, as he says he is, why has the minister not already accepted this offer from Victoria,
or is it the case that the RTBU is telling the minister who he can and cannot employ?

Mr HINCHLIFFE: I thank the member for Kawana for his question. As I mentioned in my ministerial
statement this morning, I am certainly aware of the offers that have been made by Melbourne Metro
Trains. Indeed, I have instructed Queensland Rail to investigate all opportunities to accelerate our
current training time frames and implement the Palaszczuk government's five-point plan to restore
services for the travelling public. Queensland Rail as an organisation has met with a number of groups,
including Metro Trains, and is currently working on a range of bodies of work to examine options to
boost train crew numbers and fast-track driver training.

Specifically in relation to Melbourne Metro Trains, I note the great praise and detailed
understanding the member for Kawana has about the Melbourne Metro Trains network. I think we need
to make sure that his deep knowledge of this is shared with everyone else. Perhaps the rat on his
shoulder might provide some information as well.

Mr SPEAKER: Minister, please do not provoke the member for Kawana with those sorts of
comments. Minister, can you make your answer relevant to the question, please.

Mr HINCHLIFFE: I regret my immature overstatement. To perhaps make sure that everyone else
in the parliament understands and appreciates the differences and distinctions between the nature of
Metro Trains in Melbourne and our Citytrain network in Brisbane, Metro Trains is a driver-only network
and system. It runs on a very different format. It runs on an AC power format rather than a DC power
format. The differences for train crew training are very significant. That is one of the issues being
considered and analysed and will inform any decisions that are made around how we accommodate
the offers of assistance that are coming from Metro Trains and, indeed, from a range of other potential
providers of services.

I am 100 per cent focused on making sure we address this driver shortage. That is why I am so
proud that we are already reaping the benefits of the recruitment process, with 231 drivers and 227
guards going beyond that first step in terms of the training process. I look forward to them being
delivered further.

=======================

[ozbob]

^ ' Good Government ' 

Offers coming in from all over by the looks of things.  Can they see the writing on the wall?

[SurfRail]

Queensland Parliament Hansard 29th November 2016

---

Mr HINCHLIFFE: I regret my immature overstatement. To perhaps make sure that everyone else
in the parliament understands and appreciates the differences and distinctions between the nature of
Metro Trains in Melbourne and our Citytrain network in Brisbane, Metro Trains is a driver-only network
and system. It runs on a very different format. It runs on an AC power format rather than a DC power
format.

That must come as news to a lot of people.