Mike Baird | Member for Manly - Chaos Reigns Due to Fast Ferry Tender Bungle

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Chaos Reigns Due to Fast Ferry Tender Bungle

Tuesday, 30 March 2010

Manly fast ferry commuters face ongoing uncertainty with a new operator starting tomorrow in a battle to see whether two fast ferry operators on the route are sustainable, Manly MP Mike Baird said.

�Manly fast ferry commuters have fought hard for their service and the fight is not over yet,� Mr Baird said.

�After the State Government axed the JetCats last year and offered no alternative, we had to push for the service to be put out to tender.

�By all accounts the current operators have done an outstanding job and have put the government-run JetCat service to shame.

�It was incredibly disappointing that the State Government saw the five-year fast ferry tender as an opportunity to raise revenue.

�It is stating the obvious to say the tender should have been judged on reliability, affordability and customer service � not on who offered the highest wharf access fee back to government.

�While we wish the new operator all the best, the truth is a lot of money is being spent competing against each other, which isn�t sustainable.

�What�s unfortunate is that Manly commuters were enjoying a high quality transport service, which has now been jeopardised by the NSW Government�s greed.

�Manly fast ferry commuters should not have to pay for the State Labor Government�s mismanagement of public finances over the past decade.

�The Manly fast ferry tender should never have been used as a grab for cash � this is something we have fought since the tender was issued six months ago.

�We remain convinced a single tender based on the best service at the lowest possible price would have been the best way forward for commuters.�

MEDIA: Lisa Harrington - 0406 726 880

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Comments (12)

fast ferries from Manly

I agree with every word of the statement. The solution was workimng perfectly well and unnecessary new tenders of the labour goverment only muddled up the issue, creating unnecessary difficulties for the commuters, as well as the two ferry companies. Nevertheless I wish everybody a good luck. Thank you Mike!

Posted by: Halina Robinson at 31-03-2010 10:05

fast ferries from Manly

I can't help but agree that this jeopardises both services. Of course that is very likely to have been the intent. There appears to be jealousy on the part of some influential people in Sydney Ferries that there is a fast ferry service at all.

Posted by: Alicia at 31-03-2010 10:07

Fast Ferries

Mike - I agree - thanks for keeping up the fight against this absurd duplication of ferry services - the current operators have done a great job - I hope all their customers continue to support them.

Posted by: Mark Williams at 31-03-2010 10:35

Faast Ferry chaos

The Manly Fast Ferry people gave us a great service. No having proved the service could be run at a profit, the State labor govt has its greedy little hands out to squeeze the northern beaches electorates for even more dosh. And where will this money go....well, straight to the outer western suburbs again. Not one dollar of this money will go towards new buses on the northern beaches.
All northern beaches people need to lift the level of their rage, we simply have to get rid of labor! Dont forget, it's our money they are mishandling.

Posted by: Ross Porter at 31-03-2010 11:02

Fast Ferries

It's inexcusable what the Government has done to the current operators - and to the new operators. Two on the route? Inevitably they'll both lose.

Posted by: Chrissie King at 31-03-2010 11:13

Fast Ferries from Manly

On one hand, this is a wonderful example of the benefits of open market competition. Two operators competing on price and service. Good luck to them both. It is impressive to see that two private operators can go head to head and still make money, whilst Sydney Ferries categorically failed to make the JetCat service profitable despite the absence of competition.
Remind me, why the Government decided to keep Sydney Ferries in public hands? I'm struggling to see the logic.

Posted by: Daniel at 31-03-2010 11:14

Widen scope of Fast Ferry to other harbo

Mike, this is off-topic a bit, but why not expand the Fast Ferry beyond just Manly-City? Private or otherwise, the opportunity is there for Manly-Warringah commuters to use the harbour way more efficiently. Brisbane did it successfully, though I know it pains Sydney politicians to follow Queenslanders :).
Additional vessels servicing Manly-North Sydney, Pyrmont, Darling Harbour would remove thousands of cars from the roads every day. Bikes could be taken on-board for added convenience at both ends of the service - what better excuse to fund decent cycleways in your electorate? The peak-hour road-trip from here to North Sydney by car or bus is unbearable. Pyrmont and Darling Harbour are thriving business hubs difficult to reach from here in good time or on single hop trips. I urge your people to call for a second round in the Fast Ferry fiasco, asking for practical and emission-saving use of the harbour for Manly & Warringah residents. I imagine the financial feasibility is guaranteed, judging by the packed buses and clogged roads that would automatically supply customers. The far more peaceful journey would attract users, for a start. It should not be a fact of life for locals to spend hours each day sitting in cars and we will never get trains here.
Can we hope for better use of the harbour to reduce emissions and congestion?
Virginia Laugesen
Warringah Councillor

Posted by: Virginia Laugesen at 31-03-2010 11:16

Fast ferry

I cant imigine where the labor goverments get their suport/re-election. Nothing they do is logical or cost efective for the public and tax payer.

Posted by: Joanna Jankaus at 31-03-2010 11:27

Liberal policy

Dear Mike
For many years people living on the northern beaches and north shore have been getting the rough end of the stick, from Labor and Liberal governments, this has to change, people here feel like they are being annexed, you live here and you can see that.
Every other part of Sydney gets the benefits of the taxes we pay.
Look where the bridges that have been built to handle the increase in traffic at Drummoyne and Sylvania, and what do we get? nothing.
No more patch work Mike, we need another bridge because the population on this side of the harbour is still growing at an alarming rate, you only need to look at the development all along the beaches, Warriewood in particular, something drastically needs to be done now.
In Brisbane they have built another bridge to handle their situation we need action like that here.
Furthermore I cannot believe the neglect we have had to suffer our sick and elderly because of the situation with Mona Vale and Manly hospitals, they need to be upgraded now, and the debacle with the Frenchs Forest hospital is a slap in the face for us all in on this side of the harbour, and something has to be done about it.
Mike these things need to be promised before the next election, otherwise nothing will change and we will not only be annexed but we will have a very real ghetto on our hands.
Please get these issues on the table.

Kind regards
Bob McElveney
Balgowlah

Posted by: Bob McElveney at 01-04-2010 09:16

fast ferry

thoroughly agree your press release 31 Mar re fast ferry stupidity; I'll be using the original one.

Posted by: jim chapman at 01-04-2010 10:55

A quality Ferry Service vs high rent for

If seems that State Govt rent requirements and now sign on fees clearly work against the quality and economical ferry transport needs of the public. It is a Govt function lately to inflate prices for essential transport services - bridge crossins, road usage, tunnel usage. vehicle registration fees.The onslought is so widespread what effective response can the public have?.
Creative thinking is needed - The State Govt through its Maritme arm imposes a higher levy for using a whalf so why can't the Council respond by applying a fee to the Maritme Service for use of the whalf/land connection. This is a wild idea perhaps? No, it's just another fee for service and I'm sure the lawyers can give it some legs. If nothing else it will continue the focus on the State's money grab!

Posted by: Wayne Moynham at 01-04-2010 17:12

fast ferries

I agree entirely. but where money is concerned ?

Posted by: margaret j. ward at 05-04-2010 09:30