To guide the refocused direction of the Inland Rail project, the Albanese Government has appointed Dr Collette Burke as Chair of the Board, and Dr Sean Sweeney as the new Chief Executive Officer of Inland Rail Pty Ltd.
Dr Collette Burke has served as the interim Chair since November 2025 and her permanent appointment commenced on 28 April 2026, while Dr Sweeney will commence as CEO from 1 July 2026.
Dr Burke is also the Deputy Chair of the ARTC Board. She has extensive expertise in complex infrastructure and construction projects, including as the inaugural Victorian Chief Engineer and currently serves as a Director of Marinus Link and the National Transport Research Organisation.
Dr Sweeney has over 35 years' experience in the delivery of major public infrastructure, with his most recent roles being the Program Director at MetroLink in Dublin and CEO of City Rail Link Ltd in Auckland. He brings a strong mix of leadership, governance, public project delivery, and government and stakeholder experience to the CEO role to continue delivery of the Inland Rail project.
Dr Sweeney has been appointed following a merit-based process through a targeted executive search.
These appointments to Inland Rail come at a crucial time as the project refocuses on the delivery to Parkes, while preserving the corridor north of Parkes for the future. With this new leadership in place, we are reinforcing our commitment to strong governance and clear accountability for Inland Rail.
