NSW: Govt heads off wider investigation into rail

AAP General News (Australia)
04-14-2000
NSW: Govt heads off wider investigation into rail

By Jane Wardell

SYDNEY, April 14 AAP - The New South Wales government appears to have headed off a
wider investigation into the state's rail network by clarifying the terms of reference
for the Glenbrook train crash inquiry.

The NSW Coalition and Green Party had threatened to use their upper house power to
force a parliamentary inquiry that would dig deeper than the investigations permitted
under the independent judicial inquiry.

However, the Coalition today instead introduced a watered down motion directed only
at the CityRail network.

Mr Scully said the terms of reference had been clarified following discussions with
the head of the independent judicial inquiry, Justice Peter McInerney.

"This step today will put beyond doubt the scope of Justice McInerney's powers to consider
recent safety incidents and the structure of the rail industry where it relates to safety,"

he said.

"Justice McInerney will also have before him for his consideration reports of specific
rail safety investigations and any coronial reports into recent railway accidents."

Seven people died in the Glenbrook disaster when an inter-urban train hit the back
of the Indian Pacific tourist train in December last year.

The new reference framework adds the investigation of "any relevant structural changes"

to the inquiry's existing capability to look at any safety improvements.

It also lists specific railway accidents to be investigated including the derailment
at Redfern last week.

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KEYWORD: DERAIL (CARRIED EARLIER)

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