TRANSCRIPT – RADIO INTERVIEW – ALAN JONES BREAKFAST SHOW – MONDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2020

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
RADIO INTERVIEW
ALAN JONES BREAKFAST SHOW
MONDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2020
 
SUBJECTS: Train Derailment, Condition of Victoria’s North East Railway Line.
 
ALAN JONES: Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Member for Ballarat, Catherine King, good morning.

CATHERINE KING, SHADOW MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  Good morning Alan.

JONES: You were briefed on this over the weekend. You’ve spoken to the ARTC and what have you requested they include in the investigation?

KING: So I’ve spoken and had an initial briefing from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau who are undertaking this investigation and they’ve assured me that one of the things that I will look at alongside maintenance, alongside the regulatory regime and what’s happened there, is around under investment in this rail track. As we spoke on Friday, you know, this has been raised previously. I know the former member for Indi, Cathy McGowan raise concerns about this track. This is not unknown to people that there are issues around this track.
 
JONES: McCormack said on Friday, ‘everyone was here, no-one’s had any kind of complaints’, I mean he wasn’t aware of any issues, so obviously he wasn’t aware he had announced a $235 million upgrade to this section.

KING: Yes, I was surprised. I only just heard that when you played that footage then, that is surprising to me. I am the Shadow Minister, and I’m not in government,  I don’t have the resources of a whole department. But I’m certainly aware that there have been problems with this track for some time, money is being put into it. But the issue is really going to be in relation to this accident, you know, how do we absolutely avoid this into the future? And how do we actually make sure that there’s some accountability for what has actually occurred here?

So I’ve been assured that the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, they will look at these historic issues around the problems with the track and funding. We’ve also had a big change to the regulatory regime and obviously that that’s one of the issues that’s going to need to be looked at. I just heard the previous speaker then.

JONES: The Victorians make rules about the speed limits because of certain circumstances, and the ARTC can overrule all that and give drivers ‘drive as normal’ were the instructions given. So look Parliament sits today, does it?
 
KING: Yes it does.
 
JONES: Hopefully we can get some answers. We’ll keep in touch with you Catherine.

KING: Good to talk to you.