overview

The 13^th New Zealand Rail Conference took place on the 16-17 October 2024 at the Aotea Centre in Auckland. The event will return for its 14^th instalment in October 2025 – register your interest to keep up to date with developments and program announcements. For now, here is a recap of the 2024 event:

2024 Event Highlights Video:

2024 Photo Gallery:

Here’s what you missed from New Zealand Rail 2024:

Rail in Aotearoa critically provides $3.3 billion in annual benefits, boosting productivity and efficiency. As conference chair, Auckland Transport’s Stacey van der Putten highlighted that it has been a productive 12 months for consolidating collaboration and optimism in a time of change.

After a mihi whakatau from the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the morning’s keynote session started with Peter Reidy detailing KiwiRail’s delivery as an integrated transport partner with updates on:

• Its role to commission, maintain & asset manage City Rail Link
• Future growth opportunities in intermodal freight
• Safety and service reliability

He also raised that the changes to the industry present challenges including:

• Need to deliver a return on significant capital investment
• Funding of services business (above rail)
• Changes to future asset profile (less specialisation, more tech) and people profile over the next 4-5 yrs with up to 15% retiring

Peter’s optimism for the future is evidenced by the “more connected conversations” the industry is having on refocusing, revising, and revitalising with a focus on efficiency, productivity, and sustainability.

Auckland Council Mayor Wayne Brown echoed this with his focus on the need to build with “cheaper, better, and faster” solutions, by looking at how to do things differently, such as learning from other countries and case studies.

Nicole Rosie continued with an update on the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi’s extensive functions, responsibilities, and strategic priorities of the GPS & NLTP. With $1 billion committed to rail over the next 3 years, NZTA has had many “robust discussions over the best value for the buck” and evolution as a regulator with the introduction of R3F, proactive monitoring, and early response to emerging issues.

Highlighting that the key to success is collaboration and continuity, John Holland’s Colm O’Neill followed by sharing learnings from the Victorian LXR removal project. These included the benefits of early planning and buy-in with all stakeholders, enabling a culture of continuous improvement & empowering teams to innovate.

On the final day of the event, the discussions shifted to the business of building a resilient, reliable, and integrated transport network for Aotearoa with funding, feasibility, and sustainability emerging as critical. Expertly led by Metlink’s Samantha Gain, the day highlighted the policies & people needed to drive this journey.

Audrey Sonerson detailed the Ministry of Transport (New Zealand) – Te Manatū Waka’s $22 billion funding in the Government Policy Statement on land transport (GPS 2024). Rail has a vitally significant role in advancing the GPS 2024 built around:

• Economic growth and productivity
• Increased maintenance and resilience
• Safety, and
• Value for money

Focusing on the unique and complex features of the (great learning curve) City Rail Link Ltd project, Stephen Brunell provided an update on testing and commissioning works underway to arrive at the open day.

Mick Spiers of Siemens Mobility opened our eyes to the power of technology and challenged us to “dream bigger” with the benefits of ETCS, ATO, digitalisation, and automation.

To help realise these dreams, Dr. Harm Hauke Ross from KfW IPEX-Bank looked at lessons learned on innovative rail financing options from Europe.

KiwiRail’s Gwyneth MacLeod and Garry Whale joined Auckland Transport’s Rachel Cara for an honest and impassioned chat that focused on customers, especially the need to give them greater confidence to use rail.

Putting customers at the heart of our operations was the chorus of Martin Kearney’s talk showcasing Auckland One Rail’s solutions. To quote Martin, “if you’re not here for the customer, you shouldn’t be here.”

Gemma Read gave an insightful and detailed review of the role of human factors engineering for a resilient rail system before Samantha Gain led a panel discussion with Murray Bruges, Andre Lovatt Gwyneth MacLeod, and John Holland’s Anthony McFadden, that explored fast-tracking positive initiatives for the future.

Daniel Headifen encouraged investment in technical excellence & highlighted the RTSA – The Railway Technical Society of Australasia’s important work.

Before the conference dinner, MC’d by NZ comedian Michele A’Court, Stacey van der Putten, Peter Reidy, Adele Wilson, and Dean Kimpton asked the big questions about what’s feasible and affordable and how courageous we can be.

We ended at the start with a spotlight on rail’s role in getting the economy moving as an enabler in driving productivity and efficiency with Simeon Brown’s closing ministerial address. For a government in recovery mode, GPS2024 will help rebuild the economy & achieve value for money.

Keep updated with developments as we return for the 14th New Zealand Rail Conference in October 2025.