Airport Link Heralds Future of O’Farrell’s Privatisation Agenda

While the NSW Government continues to outsource a range of rail operations by stealth, the Sydney Airport Link provides existing evidence of the high cost of privatisation the NSW Rail, Tram and Bus Union said today.

RTBU State Secretary Alex Claassens said bus and rail cleaning, drug and alcohol testing, rail investigations, rail maintenance and even the North West Rail Link operations had been, or were in the process of being, outsourced as the O’Farrell Government continued its privatisation agenda.

“The inflated prices charged by the Airport Link – up to three times more than a normal fare – is an unfair slug on commuters and pushes many onto an already clogged road system,” Mr Claassens said.

“Today it has been revealed that not only does the Government benefit to the tune of $4 million a month from this arrangement, but this windfall goes back into general revenue and not into improving the ailing Sydney transport network.”

Mr Claassens said transport workers and the travelling public opposed selling off public services and assets to the highest bidder.

“Time and again we see the effects of privatisation where public services are driven purely for profit –  costs go up and safety, services and reliability go down.

“A recent survey (Essential Report Jan 2014) showed 60 percent of people are opposed to government privatisation schemes and the expensive Airport Link is exactly why.

“The O’Farrell Government was not elected to fix transport in the state not break it apart and sell if off to the highest bidder.

“It’s time they got onto the job of improving the system and cease their privatisation-by-stealth agenda.”

Media contact: Martin Watters 0400 179 620