Vow to Railways

Press, 6 November 1984, Page 3

Vow to Railways

By

MICHAEL HANNAN

in Wellington A commitment to give the Railways new resources and equipment, when the money was available, was made yesterday by the Prime Minister,; Mr Lange: Closing the. two-day Railways Summit Conference, held in Parliament’s, Legislative Chamber, Mr Lange said that the Government could and would give- the Railways the support which would mean it was not competing with one hand tied behind, its'back. , ■ “The Government can also create the climate in which the Railways can give the competition a fair run for their money,” he said. Mr Lange referred to an estimate that the Railways could accumulate losses of $1 billion in the next 10 years if it were to carry on much as it had. “We cannot afford to keep carrying losses of that size.

That in one sense is a dreadful ultimatum hanging over us, but the sheer awfulness of it is also our challenge and our .greatest opportunity,” he said. He promised the Government would commit new resources tp the fail system when the money-was available, and there was money tp be made,, he said. ‘The Government is committed to the upgrading of the Railways. We are committed to reinvestment in the - railway, system: &We have people in the Railways who will make sure we get the social and economic return we are looking for,” he said. Mr Lange identified five main issues from the conference. These related to the future direction of marketing; the need to improve productivity and profitability; how better use could be made of assets, particularly its staff; how industrial relations could be improved;

and “the whole question of communication.” He asked delegates to inform other Railways workers of the conference’s discussions, and particularly' aimed this at members of the National Union of Rail- ‘ .waymen, the biggest union in the Railways, which boycotted the summit. “What you have discussed here is going to be put to use. One thing is certain and that is that railway people ; want to work. We are going ! to make sure:that they do : work,” Mr Lange said. He described the Government as hardheaded in its determination to see the Railways working to their full potential, and as consistent in its steps it took to get the climate in which the Railways could run its business successfully. s However, the Government could jiot impose efficiency on the Railways: only those who worked -in it could do this.