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All changes to the Rail Safety National Law and National Regulations are approved by the Infrastructure and Transport Ministers’ Meeting, which comprises each state/territory transport Minister.

Changes to the National Regulations are made by the South Australian Governor and published on the NSW Legislation website, in accordance with section 265 of the Rail Safety National Law and Part 6A of the Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW).

Links to current legislation as it applies in each state/territory are on our Rail Safety National Law & related legislation page.

Commencement date Summary of changes Detailed changes
1 July 2024 Variable fee rates and major project fees 2024-25 Rail Safety National Law National Regulations (Fees) Amendment Regulations 2024 (pp1959)

Commencement dateSummary of changesDetailed changes
1 May 2023Amendment of section 42 specifies that the Regulator must ensure that exemptions from the law, granted under Part 6 of the Act, are recorded in the National Rail Safety Register.Rail Safety National Law (South Australia) (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2023
1 May 2023Amendment of section 117 creates an offence for a person providing false or misleading information in relation to their assessment of competency by a rail transport operator.Rail Safety National Law (South Australia) (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2023
1 May 2023Amendment of section 203 provides for varying a Ministerial exemption but not to extend the operation of the exemption to exceed the period of exemption beyond that specified in the notice.Rail Safety National Law (South Australia) (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2023
1 May 2023New section 203A provides for the Regulator to exempt rail transport operators from health and fitness management program requirements in the event of an emergency.Rail Safety National Law (South Australia) (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2023
1 May 2023Amendment of the heading for Part 6 Division 2 - Exemptions granted by Regulator "on application".Rail Safety National Law (South Australia) (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2023

Commencement date Summary of the changes Detailed changes
1 July 2022 New reporting requirements in line with the National Rail Safety Data Strategy Rail Safety National Law National Regulations (Reporting Requirements) Amendment Regulations 2022 | South Australian Legislation
Rail Safety National Law (WA) Amendment Regulations 2022
1 July 2022 Variable fee rates and major project fees 2021-22 Minor amendment to regulation 37. Rail Safety National Law National Regulations (Fees and FOI) Amendment Regulations 2022 (p1922)

Commencement dateSummary of the changesDetailed changes
1 November 2021 - ActNew section 128a clarifies when a worker is deemed to be carrying out rail safety work for the purposes of drug and alcohol offences, being when a worker has arrived at their place of work and signed in to undertake rail safety work, or is otherwise on duty.Rail Safety National Law (South Australia) (Rail Safety Work) Amendment Bill 2020

Proclamation gazette (p3752)
1 July 2021 - RegulationsVariable fee rates and major project fees 2021-22Rail Safety National Law National Regulations (Fees) Variation Regulations 2021 (p2280)
24 May 2021- RegulationsMinor changes to regulation 37 (1a) to clarify that any document provided in accordance with section 20, or that contains any part of a train safety recording, will be exempt from being compelled under the Freedom of Information Act.Rail Safety National Law National Regulations (Modification of FOI Act) Variation Regulations 2021

Commencement date Summary of the changes Detailed changes
1 July 2020 - Act Changes to section 4 and 8(1) Rail Safety National Law (South Australia) (Rail Safety Work) Amendment Act 2020*
1 July 2020 - regulations Variable fee rates for 2020-21

Update to the reference to the Northern Territory gazette to ensure regulation 25 remains current as changes are gazetted.

Minor change to clarify that immediate verbal reports of category A occurrences must be reported to ONRSR (current arrangement).		 Rail Safety National Law National Regulations (Fees and Other Measures) Variation Regulations 2020

Commencement date Summary of the changes Detailed changes
2 December 2019 Regulation 7 (1) (e) removed (excluded Victorian railways) RSNL National Regulations (Application of Law) Variation Regulations 2019*
1 July 2019 – Act Changes to the Rail Safety National Law (2019).pdf RSNL (South Australia) (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2019*
1 July 2019 – Regulations RSNL National Regulations Variation Regulation 2019* RSNL National Regulations (Fees) Variation Regulation 2019

On 1 October 2024, the Western Australian Rail Safety National Law Application Act 2024 came into effect. Prior to this date, commencement of the above amendments in Western Australia was subject to a separate parliamentary process and timing.

Last updated: Oct 1, 2024, 9:53:31 AM