The Freight on Rail Group (FORG) of Australia is a freight rail industry group established in August 2015 to engage with government and key stakeholders on major public policy issues.
FORG consists of Australia’s nine major rail freight businesses: Pacific National, Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), One Rail Australia, Aurizon, Qube Holdings, SCT Logistics, Arc Infrastructure, Watco Australia and Southern Shorthaul Railroad (SSR).
These rail freight companies contribute more than $11 billion to the nation’s economy each year, employ almost 20,000 Australians (many based in the regions), operate in every Australian state and territory (except Tasmania), use 1,600 locomotives and 34,000 wagons serviced and maintained in Australia, and manage and operate 23,000 kilometres of critical rail track connecting the country.
Aims and Objectives
FORG’s objective is to contribute to a policy and regulatory environment that enables the ongoing development and operation of an efficient, integrated and sustainable freight transport sector, including an innovative and high performing rail freight industry. FORG works to address the challenges and opportunities facing the freight transport sector as a whole, with a particular focus on rail freight and its customers and stakeholders.
FORG is committed to engaging constructively with governments, as well as industry and key stakeholders to ensure policy and regulatory settings enable the industry to deliver positive economic and commercial outcomes for all freight customers.
FORG is set to achieve its advocacy aims by bringing together the views and concerns of the rail freight industry, form strategic alliances and influence key decision makers on the best policy outcomes. This is to be achieved through a united view and approach to priority policy issues and a stakeholder network that spans across government and the wider industry.
Steering Committee (Board)
FORG is headed by a Steering Committee, with a representative from each member organisation. The Chair is elected by the Steering Committee.
The group is supported by a Secretariat.
Chairman
Mr Geoffrey Smith, Managing Director, SCT Logistics
Members
Mr Andrew Harding, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Aurizon
Mr Wayne Johnson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC)
Mr Murray Cook, Chief Executive Officer, Arc Infrastructure
Mr John McArthur, Chief Executive Officer, One Rail Australia
Mr Brett Grehan, Chief Executive Officer, Pacific National
Mr Paul Digney, Managing Director, Qube Holdings
Mr Jason Ferguson, Owner and Director-Rail, Southern Shorthaul Railroad
Mr Gavin Bignell, Managing Director, Watco Australia