Queensland Rail Zero Harm Policy

Queensland Rail has been forced to defend it’s safety policy after allegations of the zero harm approach encouraging drunken loutish behaviour.

A front-line worker at Queensland Rail has labelled the zero harm policy a “Joke” and says it endangers passengers and protects the yobs and vandals.

Anthony Bradshaw, a private security guard employed by Queensland Rail claims his colleagues have been rendered powerless to stop the troubles they encounter particularly at night travelling to and from Fortitude Valley.

Mr Bradshaw makes no bones about blaming the zero harm policy for all the problems which they are unable to contain.

Mr Bradshaw said makes it clear he believes the policy forces the subcontracted guards like him to take notes as they watch helplessly while drunks fight and urinate on platforms, graffiti artists deface expensive taxpayer-funded assets, and patrons are abused on a nightly basis.

``It's zero harm for the bad guys,'' said the SECUREcorp guard, who patrols the platforms of the Fortitude Valley station on weekend nights.

``The staff and customers are at huge risk of violence. You've got these trains running all night across the city with these huge groups full of piss and no one's allowed to harm the bad guys.''

Latest figures provided by Queensland Rail show 1117 reports of disorderly conduct on Citytrains in 2009, with 236 reported assaults.

Last Thursday night, a man recently released from jail allegedly stabbed an 18-year-old man picked at random on the platform at Fortitude Valley train station. The alleged offender later surrendered to police.

The Queensland Police Union (QPU) acknowledges the growing risks around Fortitude Valley station at night and has called for more front-line help.

QPU president Ian Leavers has also called for magistrates to deliver harsher penalties for drunken misconduct as well as the more serious offences in the area.

``Attorney-General Cameron Dick needs to give magistrates the capabilities to reflect community sentiment for this type of alcohol-fuelled violence,'' he said.

Queensland Rail has repeatedly denied that its Zero Harm policy prevents its staff from physically intervening to settle disputes between passengers.