Transport
Offering specialist legal services to the transport industry
The Australian Transport industry has a diverse, dynamic range of participants - from the private to the public sector; from road and rail operators to airline and airport operators; and from port corporations to international stevedores.
Sparke Helmore's Transport industry group advises many of these key players.
We understand the competitive levers that affect the industry and our specialist lawyers are uniquely placed to provide transport clients with leading-edge advice delivered in a genuinely commercial context.
The sector has recently experienced much consolidation and reform. We have followed our clients on this journey and continue to advise on the operational and strategic issues that yield the productivity and commercial benefits promised by such developments.
Expertise
At Sparke Helmore, we are recognised for our thought leadership on the issues that affect the Transport industry.
We partner with our clients for the long-term benefit of their businesses. Accordingly, our service lines to the transport industry focus on strategic and tactical aspects of operations.
Our Transport industry group's services involve:
- Workplace relations.
- Work health & safety / transport safety.
- Workers compensation.
- Dust diseases.
- Property development.
- Construction, projects & infrastructure.
- Joint ventures.
- Commercial and contract law.
- Information technology.
- Intellectual Property.
- Outsourcing.
- Commercial litigation and dispute resolution.
Experience
- Advising one of Australia's largest supply chain solution providers, in relation to the consequences of transition to the National Workers Compensation Scheme under Comcare. This represents one of the first transfers to the national scheme by a company in Australia and certainly the first transfer to the national scheme by a company in the transport sector.
- Sparke Helmore has enjoyed a long association with the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority. We have advised the RTA on a range of matters requiring specialist advice from our team in relation to Freedom of Information, unfair dismissal applications to the IRC; Coronial Inquests; Construction disputes; and work health & safety.
- Our Melbourne Construction team have been advising the ARTC in relation to its proposed Tottenham Rail Bypass. The Bypass will provide a direct railway connection between the north-south and east-west railway corridors at Tottenham, Melbourne.
- We have advised RailCorp and its predecessor organisations for over 15 years. We have continued to advise RailCorp on a wide range of matters including Freedom of Information applications; Unfair Dismissal applications to the IRC; Coronial Inquests; Public Liability claims; and Occupational Health & Safety.
- Acting for the RailLink Joint Venture in the delivery of the rail spine component of the Southern Suburbs Railway between Perth and Mandurah. The project involves the delivery of all rail infrastructure, including traction power equipment, earthing and bonding, the overhead equipment system and signalling and communications.
- We recently had over 800 fatigue related OHS charges dismissed against eight executives, including directors, in a high profile transport industry prosecution in Queensland.
- We advised a major retail and transport industry client in relation to their obligations under specific transport safety laws and the development of appropriate compliance policies, codes and systems.
- We acted for major transport industry clients in relation to investigations and prosecutions under specific transport safety laws.
