Recommendations Aim to Strengthen Technical Capabilities
A recent New South Wales parliamentary inquiry has strongly advocated for the restoration of in-house engineering capabilities at Transport for NSW. This call follows the confirmation of a significant decline in technical capacity caused by ongoing restructuring within the agency.
Challenges and Recommendations
The inquiry, conducted in October 2023, found that frequent restructures, job cuts, and an increasing dependence on contractors have severely eroded the agency’s institutional knowledge. As a result, safety outcomes across the transport network have been potentially jeopardized.
Professionals Australia, the union representing engineers, has expressed strong approval of the inquiry’s findings. According to the union, these findings validate the concerns engineers have raised about the diminishing in-house expertise and the escalating reliance on external consultants.
The committee has put forth several recommendations. These include a focus on retaining in-house technical expertise, reducing dependency on contractors, and enhancing transparency in consultancy-driven restructuring decisions.
A union spokesperson remarked, “Engineers and technical professionals working across Transport for NSW have consistently raised concerns about the loss of in-house capability, the weakening of technical expertise, and the growing dependence on external consultants and contractors.”
Professionals Australia emphasised the necessity of maintaining a highly skilled permanent workforce. Such a workforce is crucial to ensuring safe, reliable, and sustainable transport infrastructure for the people of New South Wales.
The union further stated, “Transport infrastructure and safety-critical decisions must be supported by experienced engineers and technical professionals with deep institutional knowledge and long-term accountability to the public sector.”
In light of the inquiry’s report, Professionals Australia has called on the NSW Government to adopt the committee’s recommendations. They urged the government to rebuild a robust, technically capable, and properly resourced Transport for NSW.
“We call on the NSW Government to act on these recommendations and rebuild a robust, technically capable and properly resourced Transport for NSW,” the union stated. “That means investing in permanent skilled staff, protecting engineering capability, improving consultation processes, and reducing the over-reliance on external consultants and labour hire.”
The union also acknowledged the advocacy of its members and delegates for a robust, technically capable, and sustainable Transport for NSW. Their efforts have been instrumental in highlighting the issues faced by the agency.
This inquiry underscores the critical need for the NSW Government to take decisive action to restore and enhance the technical capabilities of Transport for NSW. As the state moves forward, ensuring a stable and competent engineering workforce will be essential for the safety and efficiency of its transport infrastructure.
