The NSW Opposition has called out the Bus Taskforce White Paper released today as providing no new funding or solutions to the commuters of Sydney and questioning what value taxpayers are getting for the $700,000 salary of the part-time chair of the Bus Taskforce.
Ministers are elected to take responsibility and to make decisions, however yet again, we have the Minister outsourcing decision making to unelected bureaucrats on large salaries.
The White Paper provides no new funding for:
- Bus Services in Western Sydney
- Bus Driver recruitment, retention or training
- Procurement of new buses to service commuters
The Opposition is equally concerned with the plethora of reviews underway into different transport modes that the future of public transport planning in NSW is being siloed instead of integrated planning.
The Opposition is calling for an immediate plan and funding right now for more drivers, more services and putting commuters at the centre of this government’s priorities, not reviews and labor-mate consultants bleeding the money out of the Government.
Shadow Minister for Transport Natalie Ward commented “The Opposition will support the Government when they provide good solutions to issues, but more white papers, consultations and reviews just kicks the can down the road.”
“Half-baked thought bubbles from a Labor mate getting paid $700,000 for a part-time job provides no solutions for commuters.”
“Let’s be clear, this White Paper cost more in graphic design services than provides new funding for bus services in NSW.”
