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Visit the Constance’s bus privatisation lies laid bare by secret report
Media Release – September 1
Bus drivers and commuters are outraged by reports the NSW Liberal Government deliberately blocked a $5 million dollar proposal to improve on-time running for public buses, the exact reason which Transport Minister Andrew Constance later used as an excuse for privatising Sydney buses.
RTBU NSW Bus Secretary Chris Preston said the internal report, recovered by the NSW Greens through a Freedom of Information request was explosive, and revealed the Government had been deliberately deceptive about its privatisation plans.
“While Andrew Constance has blamed late running buses on drivers, and demanded the services be privatised as punishment, his Government has secretly blocked the very proposal that would fix the problem. It is simply astonishing.”
“Bus drivers and commuters have been deceived and betrayed by this Government and they have every right to be angry.”
The secret report shows that by blocking the on time running improvement program proposed by the State Transit Authority, the NSW Government deliberately undermined the quality of Sydney bus services so that it can make the argument that those services are poor and privatisation is the only answer.
“Governments are supposed to act with a degree of integrity. Instead, they’ve deliberately created an on-time running problem, which has inconvenienced and frustrated millions of Sydney commuters to create an excuse to sell off the buses.”
“It is a sickening and deeply immoral way for a Minister and a Government to act.”
“The report confirms what the union and the STA have been saying for years, that bus timetables are archaic and do not reflect the realities of driving in Sydney traffic.”
“It’s clear that Andrew Constance’s bus plans have nothing to do with on time running, which he had deliberately made worse, and everything to do with his ideological obsession with privatising Sydney’s public transport.”
“Andrew Constance’s argument for Sydney bus privatisation is a sham and must be immediately halted, along with any further plans to privatise Sydney public transport.”