Queensland Rail charts new future

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Queensland Rail charts new future

Queensland Rail charts new future
Article from: The Courier-Mail

James McCullough

December 10, 2007 11:00pm

THE state government-owned Queensland Rail yesterday announced a major restructuring of its operations as part of a push to forge greater private sector partnerships and compete nationally with other carriers.

Observers immediately seized on the restructure as foreshadowing a partial privatisation of the carrier but chairman John Prescott said there were no such plans on the drawing board.

"QR is today announcing a new organisational structure and new strategy," Mr Prescott told a Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport lunch in Brisbane yesterday.

"We need to have better focus on customer outcomes, be more closely aligned with markets in which we operate and improve our financial performance."

He said the restructure would make partnerships with the private sector significantly easier but stressed there were "no major decisions on the drawing board yet".

The restructure sees the establishment of four major business units ? passenger, freight, network and services.

Chief executive officer Lance Hockridge announced that former MIM chief finance officer Deborah O'Toole had taken the job of QR CFO and former QR chief operating officer Stephen Cantwell had been named group executive GM of freight.

Previous acting group GM of network access, Michael Carter, was named executive GM of QR Network and former group GM of infrastructure services Glen Mullins was named acting executive GM of services.

"These appointments will significantly strengthen the management team moving forward," Mr Hockridge said.

Mr Prescott revealed that when he arrived as QR chairman 18 months ago there was duplication of tasks within the company and "too much authority being delegated upwards".

"Everyone was well meaning and went about their duties well and in a good manner but the structure was not right," he said.

The QR chairman said the new structured recognised QR had a portfolio of businesses operating in very different markets. He said part of the restructure was aimed at improving safety, customer service, operating performance and bottom line results.

Although QR has a reasonably good safety record, two employees were killed in an accident in north Queensland last week.

"It is a basic issue that people come to work and go home in safe conditions and we are trying to improve safety to world class standards and Lance Hockridge has already put this in place," Mr Prescott said.

QR was also expected shortly to announce new senior marketing and HR chiefs.