Rail policy and performance in Australia

This paper presents a brief review of rail policy and the performance of the rail system in Australia, and draws some comparisons with the rail systems of Western Europe. Australian railways present a somewhat paradoxical mixture of booming traffic with severe financial problems, poor productivity and — in some cases — outdated equipment. The competitive environment they face varies from state to state both in the freedom accorded to road competition and the degree to which the railways themselves are permitted to take decisions on a commercial basis. Whilst some railways in Australia — notably Westrail — have virtually completed the transition from a government department to a commercial enterprise, others have only just begun.