PRESS RELEASE: GEOFF SMITH, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SCT LOGISTICS APPOINTED CHAIR OF THE FREIGHT ON RAIL GROUP

Geoff Smith, the Managing Director of SCT Logistics has been appointed the in-coming Chair of the
Freight on Rail Group (FORG).
FORG is Australia’s peak body representing the rail freight industry, with its members responsible for
more than 95% of Australia’s rail freight activity.
This appointment comes at a critical time for the sector, with the share of rail freight being challenged
by other modes.
“While the industry faces significant challenges, as a peak body we believe there are also substantial
opportunities for rail freight”, Geoff highlighted. “We offer a freight alternative that is safer, with
significantly lower carbon emissions. As a group, FORG members are uniquely positioned to advocate
for the advantages of rail freight to politicians, Government Departments and the public more broadly.”
There is a number of key policy issues which FORG will seek to address over the medium term,
including:
• Improving the share of general rail freight and underlying cost competitiveness issues
• Supporting the ongoing work to improve the quality of the rail network, including level-crossing
safety issues
• Advocating for the contribution that rail freight can make to the decarbonisation of the transport
sector
• Reforming the coastal trading system to ensure Australia’s supply chain sovereignty is not
being compromised by the dumping of freight services by foreign flagged ships.
Geoff brings 25 years’ experience at the helm of Australia’s largest private rail operator to the role. SCT
is a family business which just celebrated 50 years of operation.
“SCT was the first privately-owned competitor to government rail businesses in Australia, and our
history has given me a unique insight into the key issues facing both rail operators and our customers in
metropolitan and regional areas”.

“I look forward to continuing the work of Andrew Harding, my predecessor from Aurizon, and the
ongoing dialogue with Federal and state governments and other industry groups on behalf of the FORG
membership” Geoff concluded.

FORG consists of the nine major rail freight businesses in Australia: 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 each year to the nation’s economy,
employ 20,000 people (many based in regional Australia), operate in every mainland Australian state
and territory, utilise 1,600 locomotives and 34,000 wagons, and manage and operate 23,000
kilometres of rail track.
SCT Logistics was established in 1974 by Mr Peter Smith, and is now a national, multi-modal
transport and logistics company which has branches throughout Australia, with offices in every
major capital city and key regional locations in Victoria, Queensland and NSW.