Minister Jackie Trad (Queensland) and Peter Dutton (Federal) get a progress report on the first rail track laying on the Petrie to Kippa-Ring Moreton Bay Rail Link Credit:Tony Moore "This investigation will be transparent and I will confirm details in the coming days about who I will entrust with this task." Serious concerns were investigated by QR last week and reported to Mr Hinchliffe on Monday morning. Mr Hinchliffe indefinitely delayed opening the Moreton Bay Rail Link citing serious safety concerns. The fault meant the signalling system would crash after three trains passed through Petrie station, where the new rail line meets the old line, creating serious problems throughout the network.

QR was not included in the design and construction phase of this project . They were excluded from the process by the previous Liberal National Party government to look for savings, as Newman government transport minister Scott Emerson said in 2012. "Previously, the delivery of the project was split between the Department of Transport and Main Roads and Queensland Rail," Mr Emerson said in a statement issued on July 11 that year. "By bringing the project under one agency I am looking for better more innovation and savings for the funding partners and the people of Queensland." That decision was seriously questioned by Rail Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow on Monday afternoon.

"If Queensland Rail had been there from day one, we don't think these signalling issues and deficiencies would have happened at all," he said. "They would have recognised there were deficiencies from day one, because the two systems are not talking to each other properly. "The system on the Moreton Bay Rail Link is not exactly the same as the system on the rest of the network." Mr Dow said his network of advisers and rail enthusiasts became aware of signal problems about two months ago, but believed it could have been fixed. Mr Dow said QR should have been involved from the start of the project.

"Queensland Rail has always been involved in the construction alliance since the Caboolture to Beerburrum line in 2008-09," he said. Mr Dow said QR was involved in the Corinda to Darra rail line expansion, Darra to Richlands and then the Richlands to Springfield Central. "You need a proper rail authority involved in a rail project like that." he said. "You need that expertise." Mr Emerson said when he was transport minister the department assured him the project was "on track".

"When the contract was awarded, we were assured this project was on track, would be delivered and would be appropriate and that was the assurances we got from the department," he said. Mr Emerson said most of the main construction work had been done over the past 18 months while Labor was in office. "I think there are very serious questions for Mr Hinchliffe and Labor to answer about what they have been doing for the past 18 months," he said. "What questions has he been asking up until five minutes 'til midnight." "All the major works in this project – including the signalling work – has been carried out under the Labor Party."

Mr Emerson said Thiess, which won the contract, found savings because they were already doing bridge work and embankment works on the rail corridor. Mr Emerson said he himself did not suggest QR be excluded from the project design and construction. "All these projects and the awarding of these tenders are made by an independent tendering panel within the department," Mr Emerson said. Loading "It would be inappropriate for a minister to get involved in this."