Mike Baird | Member for Manly - Commuter Interests Should Come First

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Commuter Interests Should Come First

Wed 18 Feb - The interests of commuters using the new Manly Fast Ferry should come first in any deal to end the abusive protests on the wharves, said Manly MP, Mike Baird.

�The local community fought to have this fast ferry service returned after they were abandoned by the Labor Government.

�They were then subject to abusive behaviour by the Maritime Union and an extended group of people who joined the protest against the service.

�I have always said that the union has a right to protest, but the situation was getting out of hand, and the Government did nothing to protect the passengers.

�I had people contacting me reporting being spat on, sworn at and physically intimidated.

�I now welcome the Union�s promise to remove the protesters following an agreement with Manly Fast Ferry owner, Bass and Flinders.

�Importantly, any such agreement must be in the interests of the community.

�As a community we overcame a bad government decision and won back an important service.

�And despite the intimidation by the union protesters, the people power would not be beaten as passengers welcomed the new service.

�I am standing up for the long suffering public transport users of Manly, and more broadly NSW.

�If we allow bullying in any form to win, then how will services ever improve for the people of NSW?

�Where was the Union when the service was scrapped?

�I see Labor MP Peter Primrose also joined the protest � where was he when his government dumped the service?

�I also reject claims from the union that I have been inciting abusive behaviour from passengers. Such allegations show how desperate the union has become, with no regard for what the community wanted,� Mike Baird said.

Media Contact: Wendy Black 0418 532 534

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Comments (9)

Manly Ferries and Transport

My parents are retired and travel on the Manly ferry once a week for their Tuesday outing. They couldn't believe the amount of Union propaganda that was left on the ferries regarding the new ferries. On another matter this new train metro line would have to be the biggest joke of the week. When will the lies stop?

Posted by: Janine Musgrove at 18-02-2009 17:04

Fast ferry

Thank you for standing up for the Manly commuters who all wee have been effectively terrorised by abusive union members. All we want is a fast and safe service and one that is reliable. So far the privatised fast ferry has been excellent whereas the old jet cat was often hit and miss with reliability and something had to change and as a Manly local I'm glad it did.

Posted by: Bianca at 18-02-2009 17:07

Fast Ferry Service.

Commuters do not deserve to be abused by unions who have no idea what we need. Also Mike you did not incite any abusive behaviour at all, you stood by your community and took our views and wishes to the powers to be, and we thank you for it. I agree the unions are desperate now cause in the most part they have lost their credibility and standing in the community.

Posted by: Debra Arena at 18-02-2009 17:09

Fast ferry

Dear Mike
Yesterday I caught the Fast Ferry service for the first time. I approcahed the Sydney ferries staff to ask when the next fast ferry left, "Dunno" was the answer and she looked down at her paper. I walked around the corner and met the most delightful Fast Ferry Staff who all said "Good Morning" and smiled brightly. What a difference ! The ride was so comfortable and extremely civilized.I got to the Quay and there was a lone Union staffer saying "take one of these" in reference to a pamphlet. I noticed that no passengers did !

Posted by: Ellen Collier at 18-02-2009 17:13

Just who are/were the protests aimed at?

The union should have protested when (and before) the government axed the Jetcats. It's a bit rich to attack the commuters using the replacement service, when it is quite likely those commuters had earlier fought to keep the Jetcats. Does the MU expect that those who previously used the Jetcat services will also strike until it is reestablished? No, it wants to force everyone to use only ferries.
Does the MU expect that the same cushy conditions, which pushed the cost per passenger trip to an extravagant $45, be maintained by a commercial operator who wishes to make a profit - without subsidy, charging the same fare as previously charged? No. The MU seems to be quite prepared to see the fast ferry service axed (the Jetcat staff strangely don't seem to have lost their jobs), and also happy to prevent a commercial operator from providing one.

Hardly a means to elicit sympathy.

Posted by: Alicia at 18-02-2009 17:19

MUA behaviour

The bad old days of the 1940s and 1970s revisited

Posted by: Peter Egan at 18-02-2009 17:25

MUA protesting.

I f we go back before the Walker Report and the completion of such. It is maintained that a certain bad culture had prevailed within "Sudney Ferries," which included bad management and the wrong attitude by employees. Mosy of those employees belong to the M.U.A and if they get their teeth into "Bass and Flinders" they will be demanding the same unrealistic conditions and "high wages" for their most unskilled workers.

People who travel on the new "Fast Ferry" should stand firm and continue to use the service. Take no notice of these protesters and show them that "Private Enterprise" can do the job better.

Posted by: Bruce O'Toole at 18-02-2009 20:04

Manly Ferry Services

I am writing to share an incident that I experienced when I went to the Manly Wharf Ferry ticket counter to find out where I could purchase a fast ferry ticket. To my surprise the male ticket clerk pointed to a sign on the booth window that read " Fast ferry tickets are not sold here". I asked where could I go to purchase the tickets and he repeated he didn't know and again pointed to the sign. I finally located the Fast Ferry booth and after purchasing a ticket I returned to the Ferry ticket booth and told the cleark where the Fast ferry ticket counter was for his future reference to assist other commuters and he abused me.I was taken aback by this attitude and am stunned that the staff have such a poor service attitude. I hope the whole ferry service is privatised and then those staff who are considered worthy of some service retraining get a wake up call as to providing common courtesy to fellow citizens. UNBELIEVABLE

Posted by: Stephen Floyd at 19-02-2009 10:09

Abuse from the MUA

I have turned in my unused manly ferry tickets for cash and will never use a Manly ferry again. The abuse we put up with from the MU was unacceptable and unforgivable. I will never look at a Manly Ferry staff the same way - I'm done with them.. Forever! You may have won the battle but you have lost the war.

Posted by: sean at 19-02-2009 18:52