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overview
Image source: Sydney Metro
During times of change and uncertainty, prioritising safety is crucial. Recommended changes to the National Rail Safety Law have signalled a renewed call for a shared vision on rail safety and collaboration is essential to provide this direction.
Bringing together operators, manufacturers, contractors and government stakeholders, the 25th RISSB Rail Safety Conference 2025 will feature keynotes, case studies and interactive industry panels to showcase and explore the best practices shaping the changes, challenges and opportunities ahead.
Taking place on the 13-14 May 2025 at the Swissotel Sydney, join us at the only rail safety conference in Australia and New Zealand, where you can leverage the collective insights of esteemed industry experts and leaders on the path to greater collaboration and harmonisation that prioritises safety.
Register your interest to be kept in the loop with program developments.
Key topics to be discussed include:
- Rail safety case studies
- Safety regulation
- Harmonisation
- Innovation and technology updates
Program features include:
- CEO Panel
- Safety Leaders’ Panel
- Chief Engineers’ Panel
- The return of the popular Mock Trial
Call for Papers Closed
Thank you to everyone who shared case studies, project updates and practical solutions by submitting a paper that details the results, learnings and actionable outcomes of your improved processes, innovation and/or research. Authors will be notified of acceptance from February 2025.
Speakers
Jim Betts
Secretary, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
Michael Hopkins
Chief Executive Officer, National Transport Commission
Wayne Johnson
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, ARTC
Lucio Di Bartolomeo
Chair, ARA
Brett Grehan
Managing Director, Pacific National
Alan Fedda
CEO, RISSB
Julian Tullett
Executive General Manager - Engineering & Technology, Downer
Melanie Mackie
General Manager, Technical Services and Assurance, ARTC
Dr Christian Christodoulou
Director Engineering, Transport for NSW
Lisa D’Oliveira
General Manager HSQESS, Auckland One Rail
Chris Van Berendonck
Chief Engineer, Queensland Rail
Cherie Lee
Chief Engineer, Yarra Trams
Steve Bickley
Director, Abbott Risk Consulting
Corrie Summers
Risk and Compliance Principal, TasRail
Professor Anjum Naweed
ARC Future Fellow, CQUniversity Adelaide
Paul Cassar
A/Project Director Integration Digital Systems, Transport for NSW
Chris Myatt
General Manager Decarbonisation & Freight Engineering, Downer
Caitlin Golder
Senior Environment and Sustainability Advisor, Downer
Peter Doggett
Chief Operating Officer, ONRSR
Karen Grumley
Head of Risk and Resilience, Pacific National
Fahad Almusaiteer
HSE & Railway Governance and Compliance Director, Saudi Arabia Railways SAR
Rakan Alhumaid
Environment & Sustainability Manager, Saudi Arabia Railways SAR
Professor Ravi Ravitharan
Director, Monash Institute of Railway Technology
Meghna Sathyanarayana
Safety Engineer, Siemens Mobility
Manikandan Kondorambathvalappil
Cybersecurity Professional, Siemens Mobility
John Madzar
President, Smart Light Source, USA
Sally Todd
Assistant Secretary of Land Transport Policy Branch, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
Gareth Hughes
Senior Manager Human Factors, Data, Advice, Research, and Testing (DART), Transport for NSW and Chair of the RISSB Network Human Factors Working Group
Craig Dance
Director Safety Improvement, V/Line
Maria Appel
HF Integration & Change Lead | Safety & People, Metro Trains Melbourne
Jesse Baker
General Manager - Passenger Rail and Safety, ARA
Helen Wilkinson
CEO, PT&I
Monisha Samuel
Engagement Manager, Think Systems
Dane Newton
Director Operations/ General Manager, ONRSR
Amanda Calvez
General Manager, Safety Quality Risk and Environment, Metro Trains Sydney
Raghavi Sangar
Senior Human Factors Specialist, Data, Advice, Research, and Testing (DART), Transport for NSW
Kristy Trudgett
Acting Senior Human Factors Specialist, Data, Advice, Research, and Testing (DART), Transport for NSW
David Manuel
Senior Rail Investigator, Transport Accident Investigation Commission, New Zealand
Nicholas Huth
General Manager Regional Safety and Services, Queensland Rail
Garry Taylor
Government-Appointed Director, RISSB & Executive Director, Project Delivery, PTA WA
Mark Carling
Industry Director, Suppliers & Contractors, RISSB & APAC Regional Managing Director, Unipart Rail
Tony Braxton-Smith
Independent Director, RISSB
Dr Tim Kuypers
Independent Director, RISSB
Beata Lipman
CEO, Rail First
Dr Gillian Miles
Chair, RISSB
Workshop
Human Factors in Action Workshop
Date: 12 May
Workshop time: 12.30-4.30pm
Workshop networking drinks: 4.30-5.30pm
Venue: Swissotel, Sydney
New technologies, new working environments and new standards and training tools have placed renewed focus on the importance of assessing, measuring, and integrating the impact of human factors.
Facilitated by Gareth Hughes, an experienced human factors practitioner with over 20 years’ experience within the Australian rail industry, this interactive half-day workshop will feature experienced industry practitioners sharing practical applications of human factors strategies to improve safety performance. During the workshop there will be plenty of opportunities for hands on activities and audience participation culminating in an open panel session at the end.
Workshop outline:
- Introduction by Workshop Chair: Gareth Hughes, Human Factors Manager, Transport for NSW and Chair of the RISSB Network Human Factors Working Group
- Session 1: Level Crossing Risk
- Session 2: Climability Assessment Tool
- Session 3: Integration of HF into the use of LIDAR technology for platform management
- Session 4: Open forum including a brief session on updates to AS:7470 which is now titled ‘Human Factors Integration and Technical Requirements for Rail Engineering Projects’
- Networking mixer session
We ‘don’t live in a perfect world’, so join us for this timely opportunity to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
The Workshop is separately bookable.
Awards Dinner
SOLD OUT
RISSB Rail Safety Conference Awards Dinner: 13 May 2025
Swissotel Sydney
Blaxland Ballroom
6:30pm – 10:30pm
Join us to celebrate industry’s achievements and commitment to safety, excellence and innovation.
Separately bookable, the Awards Dinner is open exclusively to speakers, sponsors, award finalists and conference attendees.
2025 RISSB Rail Safety Awards
The RISSB Rail Safety Awards are designed to recognise and celebrate individual and company safety achievements in the rail industry and promote diverse thinking, excellence and innovation for the betterment of rail. Established in 2022, RISSB Rail Safety Awards are open to any individual working in the rail industry, or an organisation operating in, or affiliated with, rail in Australia and New Zealand.
AWARD CATEGORIES:
- Safety Leadership Program
- Frontline Worker Safety Initiative
- Community Safety Initiative
- Emerging Leader
- Industry Safety Professional of the Year
Sponsorship & Exhibition Opportunities
The 2025 RISSB Rail Safety Conference will bring together government bodies, railway operators, engineers, project managers and industry experts and stakeholders from across the rail safety spectrum.
To showcase your services, expertise and product to the rail safety professionals and decision makers to this established industry gathering, contact Sarah Ingram, Sponsorship & Exhibition Sales Manager, [email protected] or +61 406 530 043.
2025 Event Video & Photos
RISSB Rail Safety Conference + Workshop 2025
To view all images across the two day event, view our Flickr album.
RISSB Rail Safety Awards Dinner 2025
To view all images across the Awards, view our Flickr album.
Sponsor Profile
Downer is the leading rail business in Australia, with expertise in delivering whole-of-life asset management support to our customers.
We have over 155 years’ rail experience delivering innovative transport solutions.
Today, we leverage our capabilities to offer rollingstock, infrastructure, rail systems, operation and maintenance, system integration, engineering innovations and digital and data solutions.
We design, build and maintain trains across Australia with some of our flagship passenger and freight projects including:
- Design, manufacture and maintain 65 new six-car passenger trains as part of Queensland Train Manufacturing Program, which are required to meet the transport demands for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games and to support population growth.
- Design, manufacture and maintain 119 Waratah trains in NSW – Australia’s largest passenger fleet servicing Australia’s largest passenger network.
- Design, manufacture and maintain 70 High Capacity Metro Trains in Victoria – a step change in public transport offering 20 per cent more capacity than other fleets and designed with customer-centered stakeholder engagement.
- Design and develop the world’s most energy efficient battery electric locomotive.
- Manufacture over 1,000 rail cars and nearly 1,000 locomotives from our Maryborough, Queensland site.
Safety is at the heart of everything we do. Through The Downer Difference, we live our values every day: we own our outcomes, we do it for our customers, and we stand for each other. By prioritising safety and reliability in everything we deliver, we not only look after our people and customers – we enable communities to thrive.
NEW FOR 2025: NEXT GENERATION CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
- Agrim Saini, Graduate Systems Engineer, Systra ANZ
- Andie Gell, Mechanical Engineer, Rio Tinto
- Cheng Kai Lee, Associate Signalling RAMS Engineer, Hitachi Rail STS
- Jye Millar, Graduate Engineer Mechanical, Downer RTS
- Hudson Yao, Design Project Engineer, Degnan
- Mason Hicks, Graduate Civil Engineer, Lycopodium
- Mateo Villate Martinez, Mechanical Engineer, Worley
WINNERS WILL RECEIVE:
- Complimentary attendance to the Two-Day RISSB Rail Safety Conference
- Profile raising promotional activities
- Certificates of acknowledgement – to be presented at the RISSB Rail Safety Conference Awards Dinner
Insights
The risk of poorly-considered rail safety technologies
Read more >>
How the UK redeemed its rail safety profile following five track fatalities
Read more >>
Ensuring rail safety controls stand the test of time
Read more >>
How to modernise rail safety assurance protocol in a world of tech disruption
Read more >>
ConnectMe event app
ConnectMe • Networking enhanced
All of our events utilise a bespoke dynamic smartphone app, ConnectMe – which guarantees attendees a premium event experience. Logins are sent prior to the conference commencement allowing you to check who’s attending, schedule in meetings and catch ups, participate in live Q+A and interactive polls, and much more. ConnectMe ensures you never miss a beat prior, during and post event.
Download the ConnectMe app today • Informa Connect Australia
Event Code of Conduct
We want everyone who comes to our events to have a great experience. This code explains our expectations and rules, which includes general good practice behaviour, and how to report anything witnessed or experienced that goes against them. Read our Event Code of Conduct here.
Sustainability
Our Commitment to Sustainability
In Australia, we are committed to running our events in an environmentally and socially responsible way. Across Informa Connect we are focusing on the short and long-term sustainability impacts we have on customers and colleagues alongside the communities we work in.
We recognise that it’s not just about the way we produce our events and products but recognising that we have a role to play in providing a space to work in partnership together with our markets to inspire the sustainable development of the industries we serve.
To read more on our latest sustainability reports and Faster Forward initiatives – click here.
when & where
13 - 14 May 2025
Swissôtel Sydney
68 Market St,
Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9238 8888
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION RATE
Secure your accommodation at the Swissotel Sydney with a 10% discount* off the best available flexible room only rate at the time of booking.
To book this rate, please click here and follow the below instructions.
To load/see the rates available please enter the codes as per below
- Click on the link and scroll to ‘Our accommodation’
- Enter your booking dates
- Click on the drop down for “Special rates”
- Enter the code SCP2108566 in “Business client with contract”
- Enter the code IN435AU828 in “Access code”
- Click on “See rates”
* Rooms and rates are subject to availability at the time of booking, we suggest booking early to avoid disappointment.
Alternatively, please contact the hotel reservations team directly on 02 9238 8888 between 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday or email [email protected]
contact
Still have a question?
Sponsorship & Exhibition Opportunities
Sarah Ingram
+61 406 530 043
[email protected]
Speaking Enquiries
Tina Karas
+61 431 442 504
[email protected]