Ministerial Statement: Funding to Enhance Cane Rail Safety

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Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland
The Honourable Tim Mulherin
30/07/2009

Funding to Enhance Cane Rail Safety

In a Queensland first, a joint project between the State Government, Mackay Sugar, CSR Sugar and the Central Queensland Institute of TAFE (CQIT) is set to make the sugarcane rail network safer.

Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland Tim Mulherin said the program involves training industry workers to become traffic officers.

"It is being developed specifically for the sugar cane industry to enhance the safety of the cane rail network by giving traffic officers the opportunity to gain formal qualifications," he said.

"I'd like to thank Mackay Sugar, CSR Sugar, and CQIT for developing the program with the assistance of the State Government.

"It is the first formal training program for traffic officers working in the sugar industry, developed by and for regional Queensland, aimed at improving safety in one of our most vital industries - sugar.

The Minister said CSR Sugar received $50,000 in funding in February, through the Blueprint for the Bush initiative to further develop the program.

"The training program will provide a range of nationally accredited assessment tools for personnel charged with the responsibility of keeping cane trains separated," he said.

"As the Member for Mackay, I know how important the cane rail network is for the industry and the importance of safety for those who operate it.

"The aim of the 16 month project is to develop a host of assessment tools aligned with the National Transport and Logistics Training Package, and to formalise the training and assessment of sugar industry traffic officers."

Mackay Sugar trainee traffic officer, Andrea Vella is proud to be the first student trialling a new training system.

"Taking on a job as a traffic officer in the sugar industry is pretty daunting, but I'm excited by th e prospect of being the first traffic officer to be assessed under the program," she said.

Mackay Sugar Cane Supply and Transport Manager, Dave Langham said Mackay Sugar recognised the need to enhance traffic officer training and assessment.

"We felt formal assessment and training was appropriate, given the highly responsible nature of the role," he said.

"In 2007, Mackay Sugar began working with CQIT to develop a recognition of prior learning program for traffic officers.

"This will make the sugarcane industry safer by ensuring the system we use to assess traffic officer competency operates within a structured and standardised framework."

More than 150 Blueprint for the Bush initiatives across the state already contributing to the increased sustainability of primary production and prosperity of rural Queensland.

Investing in the future of rural and regional Queensland enables communities across the state to deliver practical m easures to address development issues.

The funding also allows local Councils to implement projects to improve community capacity, access to transport services and the image of rural areas.

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