Private companies were the first to build the rail system in Australia at around the 1850s. They were initially used to link the inlands to the major export seaport hubs. Slowly the colonial states government took over and further developed the railway system according to their use. As Australia grew a need to connect the different states and an operating standard had to be maintained. The Australian Government in 1998 formed Australian Rail Track Corporation Ltd (ARTC) to manage and develop Australia’s interstate track infrastructure as a single entity. (Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development AU, 2017)
Context of QLD
The first Queensland railway opened in July 1865, from Ipswich to Grandchester.
Aurizon Company
Operating in the Central Queensland coal Network, Aurizon is the largest rail freight haulage operator in Australia by tonnes hauled. It operates in key freight sectors and supply chains across the country. On average, Aurizon moves more than 700,000 tonnes of coal, iron ore, other minerals, agricultural and general freight every day (Limited, June 2014). The company today plays an important role in the economic development of the state of Queensland (Limited, June 2014). Aurizon has four major product lines for customers: Network, Coal, Bulk, and Intermodal. Aurizon also provides a range of specialist services in rail design, engineering, construction, management and maintenance, and offers large-scale supply chain solutions to a diverse range of customers. (Aurizon, 2017)
QR National, was established by the Queensland government in the fiscal year 2004/05 to bring its coal, bulk and containerised business units under one flagship. And in 2012, the then 147 year old company privatised its freight sector and renamed as Aurizon (Australia+ Horizon) symbolizing it as expansion of the business (Aurizon, 2017). The passenger sector is however still controlled by the government (Gazette, 2017).
Issues since QR was privatised as Aurizon
- Privatisation
- Structure
- Employment conditions
- Public issues
- Environmental impact
