Name: Leading the way: An interview with Damien
Uploaded: 2023-11-03T02:54:16.754Z
Duration: 342.37

Damien White 2.mp4

Damien White.vtt

Subtitles

{{00:00:11}}
I think for the rail industry in
particular, there's been so much change

{{00:00:16}}
in particularly the last 20 to 30 years.

{{00:00:18}}
So there's lots of practical learning
that has occurred during that period.

{{00:00:24}}
So absolutely we need new
knowledge, new technical knowledge,

{{00:00:28}}
new collaboration skills.

{{00:00:31}}
But dare I say you know, enough people
around that understand what has happened

{{00:00:37}}
over that past 20 or 30 years in terms
of reform, what have been some of

{{00:00:41}}
the experiences, pitfalls, learnings,
and apply that to moving forward.

{{00:00:52}}
Obviously in the Australian rail industry,
we've got a legacy of a whole heap of

{{00:00:57}}
different history, engineering standards,
operating standards and so forth.

{{00:01:01}}
So that has been a hurdle to productivity
and indeed a barrier to improving safety.

{{00:01:08}}
And so there's a whole host of
reasons for us to continue to refine

{{00:01:12}}
the level of standardization and
harmonization across the industry.

{{00:01:22}}
I think one of the key skills demand
is not so much around technical

{{00:01:27}}
capability, but I guess it's words
used a lot around collaboration.

{{00:01:32}}
Genuine collaboration, but also
challenging industry norms, challenging

{{00:01:38}}
the status quo in a respectful way.

{{00:01:42}}
There is a lot of internal
inertia in the industry that

{{00:01:45}}
we do need to overcome to grow.

{{00:01:47}}
And so, I think when we're looking for
new people or as we're working with

{{00:01:52}}
industry, it's about starting to push
the boundaries a little bit on some of

{{00:01:57}}
the historical practices and standards.

{{00:02:05}}
Look, I think there's a whole
generation who you know, dare I

{{00:02:12}}
say are in a different planet from
people my age and my experience.

{{00:02:16}}
They've got a whole host of new technical
skills, but also much, much broader

{{00:02:20}}
skills and knowledge of the world.

{{00:02:22}}
And so that's vitally important.

{{00:02:24}}
The technology moving forward is,
the foundation to change but so

{{00:02:30}}
too is about connecting the dots.

{{00:02:33}}
Innovation, looking at
different ways of doing things.

{{00:02:35}}
And I think they're the skills,
not just straight technical skills,

{{00:02:38}}
but that ability to collaborate
and think outside the box.

{{00:02:47}}
A real interesting reflection
is the heavy haul industry.

{{00:02:53}}
So we in the rail industry talk
about there's so many difficult

{{00:02:57}}
technological challenges.

{{00:02:59}}
Well the reality is that industry
just gets on with them, in the

{{00:03:02}}
largest scale on the planet.

{{00:03:04}}
So, I would say there's no technological
challenges that the rest of the

{{00:03:09}}
Australian rail industry can't overcome.

{{00:03:12}}
What we can learn from that heavy haul
industry in particular is about, well

{{00:03:17}}
what does good collaboration look like?

{{00:03:19}}
And it doesn't mean collaborating
with as many people as possible.

{{00:03:24}}
It's actually being quite targeted
at a narrow focus, and are razor

{{00:03:27}}
sharp focused on delivering these
projects, understanding the benefits.

{{00:03:32}}
And I think that's what drives
the success of the heavy haul

{{00:03:35}}
industry that the rest of the rail
industry could be drawing upon.

{{00:03:39}}
I think in terms of working
better together, understanding

{{00:03:48}}
the size of the prize.

{{00:03:50}}
Now the rail industry has always
talked about its environmental

{{00:03:53}}
credentials, efficiency credentials
and that they continue to be important.

{{00:04:00}}
And now is the time with the focus on
decarbonisation to actually bring those

{{00:04:05}}
benefits to life and really to also be
aware that there's similar technological

{{00:04:13}}
advances happening in the road industry
and the road industry's got a great

{{00:04:18}}
reputation of being very, very agile.

{{00:04:21}}
And so, this isn't just an opportunity
around decarbonisation, it's actually a

{{00:04:25}}
pretty difficult opportunity to really be
in front of our road based competitors.

{{00:04:38}}
In terms of RISSB's priorities
into the future, like I think we've

{{00:04:42}}
largely broken the back of  the
bulk of the harmonisation issues.

{{00:04:48}}
I'm not saying the job's done yet by
far, so we'll continue to work on that.

{{00:04:54}}
But we'll have a greater focus
on ensuring that our products are

{{00:04:58}}
resolving the strategic needs of
industry and also have a much, much

{{00:05:03}}
greater focus on helping industry
drive adoption of products and realize

{{00:05:10}}
the benefits of the work that we do.

{{00:05:12}}
And there's a range of you know
maturity and capability within the

{{00:05:17}}
industry to be able to do that.

{{00:05:20}}
Large organizations have got their
own internal training capability

{{00:05:26}}
and change management capability,
and they're just getting on with it.

{{00:05:29}}
But there's a whole heap of
other organizations that dare

{{00:05:32}}
I say RISSB could be helping to
get greater product adoption.

I think for the rail industry in
particular, there's been so much change

So there's lots of practical learning
that has occurred during that period.

So absolutely we need new
knowledge, new technical knowledge,

But dare I say you know, enough people
around that understand what has happened

over that past 20 or 30 years in terms
of reform, what have been some of

the experiences, pitfalls, learnings,
and apply that to moving forward.

Obviously in the Australian rail industry,
we've got a legacy of a whole heap of

different history, engineering standards,
operating standards and so forth.

So that has been a hurdle to productivity
and indeed a barrier to improving safety.

And so there's a whole host of
reasons for us to continue to refine

the level of standardization and
harmonization across the industry.

I think one of the key skills demand
is not so much around technical

capability, but I guess it's words
used a lot around collaboration.

Genuine collaboration, but also
challenging industry norms, challenging

There is a lot of internal
inertia in the industry that

And so, I think when we're looking for
new people or as we're working with

industry, it's about starting to push
the boundaries a little bit on some of

Look, I think there's a whole
generation who you know, dare I

say are in a different planet from
people my age and my experience.

They've got a whole host of new technical
skills, but also much, much broader

The technology moving forward is,
the foundation to change but so

Innovation, looking at
different ways of doing things.

And I think they're the skills,
not just straight technical skills,

but that ability to collaborate
and think outside the box.

A real interesting reflection
is the heavy haul industry.

So we in the rail industry talk
about there's so many difficult

Well the reality is that industry
just gets on with them, in the

So, I would say there's no technological
challenges that the rest of the

What we can learn from that heavy haul
industry in particular is about, well

And it doesn't mean collaborating
with as many people as possible.

It's actually being quite targeted
at a narrow focus, and are razor

sharp focused on delivering these
projects, understanding the benefits.

And I think that's what drives
the success of the heavy haul

industry that the rest of the rail
industry could be drawing upon.

I think in terms of working
better together, understanding

Now the rail industry has always
talked about its environmental

credentials, efficiency credentials
and that they continue to be important.

And now is the time with the focus on
decarbonisation to actually bring those

benefits to life and really to also be
aware that there's similar technological

advances happening in the road industry
and the road industry's got a great

And so, this isn't just an opportunity
around decarbonisation, it's actually a

pretty difficult opportunity to really be
in front of our road based competitors.

In terms of RISSB's priorities
into the future, like I think we've

largely broken the back of  the
bulk of the harmonisation issues.

I'm not saying the job's done yet by
far, so we'll continue to work on that.

But we'll have a greater focus
on ensuring that our products are

resolving the strategic needs of
industry and also have a much, much

greater focus on helping industry
drive adoption of products and realize

And there's a range of you know
maturity and capability within the

Large organizations have got their
own internal training capability

and change management capability,
and they're just getting on with it.

But there's a whole heap of
other organizations that dare

I say RISSB could be helping to
get greater product adoption.

Heavy Haul Rail

Expert Insight

Join the CEO of the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board Damien White, as he discusses the evolving landscape of the Australian rail industry, emphasizing the need for new technical knowledge, collaboration skills, and challenging traditional practices. Damien highlights the importance of collaboration and innovation, drawing inspiration from the heavy haul industry and addresses environmental concerns in the context of decarbonization.