Queensland Rail

Queensland Rail

Queensland Rail

Keeping Queensland moving

It’s incredible to consider just how pivotal the company has been on the lives of its State’s residents. Many towns and places across Queensland simply did not exist until the creation of the railway and many industries also formed along with it. As the railway system grew, the State literally grew with it, creating more business and greater wealth for the area.

Queensland Rail celebrates its 150th birthday in 2015, having been formed in 1865 long before the modern

motorcar had taken root in Australia. In such a vast, remote expanse of landscape, it’s perhaps easy to understand how the company has without doubt played a major role in the economic, regional development and growth of the state. Over the many years, the company has directly impacted Queensland’s growth, opening new markets and allowing precious resources to enter and leave the region.

GROWinG WiTH THe sTaTeToday the modern company, like the State, has come a long way from its humble beginnings in a time without real infrastructure. Queensland Rail now manages an impressive network with over 6,500km of track and 216 stations across the State. It is responsible for more than 700,000 long distance customer journeys and over 50 million City

Network journeys every year.The company is also a major employer in the region with a workforce of nearly 6,000 people and an annual turnover just under $2 billion.Over the years the company has invested heavily in its network, expanding, updating and maintaining the track and updating to new technology, such as the

electrification of the network in the late 1970s, when possible. Most recently it has also announced plans to investigate the latest automatic braking systems as the company continues to consider the latest technology possible for its fleet. This latest announcement continues to reinforce the company’s strong beliefs for the safety of all its passengers.

alWaYs MOVinG FORWaRdNot content to merely rest on its laurels though, the company sets itself demanding goals each year and it aims to ‘provide contestable services to the same standard or better than industry benchmarks’. The company also has a vision to be Australia’s best performing railway, meaning that its clear business

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objectives and relevant strategies are key to achieving its goals. The company has recently embarked upon a major programme of refurbishment for many of its older stations including a station accessibility program for some of its sites. Alongside the everyday maintenance of such a vast amount of track, it is also working hard to replace ageing timber rail bridges on the North Coast line. What’s more, all this will be done with the key goals of ensuring passenger disruption and environmental impact is kept to the absolute minimum and achieved on time and within budget.This is the executive profile:

leadeRsHiP is KeYThe problem with vision though is exactly that - it’s only a vision until someone enables it to become a reality. At Queensland Rail, Helen Gluer is the woman tasked with the mammoth task of fulfilling the company’s vision whilst ensuring the trains continue to run on time. Ms Gluer, a former under treasurer for the State, took the reigns in January 2014 on a short-term basis before extending her contract in April of the same year. Prior to her present role, she held diverse roles across a number of banking, financial and infrastructure industry companies. Perhaps most notably she was previously the Chief Executive for Stanwell Corporation

and Tarong Energy where in both instances she maintained a strong focus on safety. Along with working as the under treasurer for the State, she has also worked as the Chief Financial Officer for Brisbane City Council affording her a strong financial planning acumen. During her impressive career, Gluer has also held a number of positions and directorships such as Director of Brisbane Airport Corporation, TransLink Transit Authority and as Chair of the Central Queensland Ports Authority. These positions have enabled her to build a wealth of experience within the transport sector providing her with a deep and rich understanding of its mechanisms and pinch points.Gluer is also an Adjunct Professor at the Queensland University of Technology and has held previous appointments as the Deputy Chancellor and Council member for the University. Also keen to play a role within the community where possible, she has also been involved as a Trustee of the Lord Mayor’s Community Disaster Relief Appeal Fund and also as a member of the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal.

African Business Coverage Issue 9

Oliver Moy PublisherFor enquiries emailokm@aubusinesscoverage.com