Member for Mackellar must come clean on calls for bus privatisation

MEDIA RELEASE

The Rail Tram and Bus Union of NSW (RTBU NSW) has called on the Federal Member for Mackellar, Jason Falinski MP to come clean on his demands that the B-Line service on the Northern beaches be privatised.

Echoing concerns from the NSW Opposition last week that there was ‘a growing concern on the Peninsula about the motivation behind Mr Falinski’s attacks’ Chris Preston, RTBU Secretary of the Tram and Bus Division said the community was right to be concerned.

“Mr Falinski’s vicious attacks on the STA, local bus drivers and constant calls for privatisation make you wonder who he is really standing up for – his big business mates or the people of his electorate?”

“Have the ‘local businesses’ that would benefit from the privatisation of the B-Line service ever donated to Mr Falinski’s campaign? What meetings have been had and what undertakings did Mr Falinski give at those meetings? The people of his community absolutely have a right to know.”

“Aside from the fact that public transport is entirely a State matter, something the rookie MP may not understand yet, his position on the privatisation of bus services is at odds with that of Premier Berejiklian’s Government, which recently renewed five year contracts for all of the STA’s 12 bus depots to operate major routes across Sydney.”

“Perhaps the rookie Federal Member might consult with the NSW Liberal Government or even ask local commuters what they’d prefer and represent their interest instead of jumping in to champion the interests of his business mates.”

“If he had been paying any attention to state matters he’d understand that the privatisation of public transport services is deeply unpopular and Mr Falinski would know that, if he bothered speaking to his community.”

“The Federal member for Mackellar also needs to apologise to 3,500 hard working Sydney bus drivers for attacking them and their work, when he attacks the RTBU he attacks its members.

“Sydney bus drivers do an amazing job working in conditions not seen anywhere else in Australia – the lack of infrastructure, overcrowded buses and lack of bus lanes that leave them stuck in traffic and dealing with pubic aggression and frustration,” said Mr Preston.