22 Nov 2023
MEDIA RELEASE – The Launch of the Australian Railway Research and Innovation Network (AusRRIN)
Senator the Hon Tim Ayres, Assistant Minister for Trade and Assistant Minister for Manufacturing, together with the National Rail Manufacturing Advocate, Ms Jacqui Walters, has today launched the Australian Railway Research and Innovation Network (AusRRIN).
The AusRRIN is a network of five Australian universities that are recognised individually for delivering excellence in railway research along with key railway industry and regulatory entities. The AusRRIN partners will co-operate to identify and deliver critical railway research and innovation necessary for the future of Australia’s railways and to advance an associated rail manufacturing sector in support of the Australian government’s National Rail Manufacturing Plan.
AusRRIN will be formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Monash University through its Institute of Railway Technology (IRT), Central Queensland University, University of Queensland, University of Wollongong and the University of Technology Sydney.
These leading Australian universities will join five railway industry entities – the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR); Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board (RISSB); Australasian Railway Association (ARA); the Rail Track Association Australia (RTAA); and the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) – to create AusRRIN.
RISSB’s association with AusRRIN builds on the work it has been undertaking with the National Transport Commission as part of its National Rail Action Plan, producing a suite of harmonised standards aiming to rationalise requirements and facilitate greater local manufacturing of rail components and rolling stock.
RISSB’s primary role with AusRRIN will be providing industry input into research through RISSB’s network of industry’s subject matter experts and, with RISSB’s new focus on industry implementation of its products, facilitating the adoption of research outcomes by identifying solutions to any barriers to adoption.
Assistant Minister Ayres officially launches AusRRIN at Sydney’s Central Station, today (22 November 2023) at 12 noon.
Quotes attributable to Minister Ayres
“The AusRRIN initiative is a great example of the collaboration between research and industry that the Government is supporting under the National Rail Manufacturing Plan, and our recently announced National Rail Procurement and Manufacturing Strategy. I look forward to AusRRIN’s contribution to the development of trains that are designed and built to Australia’s unique condition – lowering costs for government and industry, improving the quality of the commuter experience and lowering our national transport emissions.”
Quotes attributable to the National Rail Manufacturing Advocate and Rail Industry Innovation Council Chair, Ms Jacqui Walters
“Strong research and innovation is a key enabler to build at scale, a sustainable, advanced manufacturing base in Australia. We can build on the capabilities of Australian manufacturing to design and construct efficient, modern, low emission rolling stock that will carry Australians and freight for decades to come. We can export decarbonised products to the world.”
About RISSB
The Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board (RISSB) is a non-government, member-based, not-for-profit that develops Australian Standards, Guidelines, Codes of Practice and Rules on behalf of the Australian rail industry.