Mike Baird | Member for Manly - Fears for Improved Ferry Services

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Fears for Improved Ferry Services

Thurs 21 May - The failure by the State Labor Government to take the tough decisions to improve Sydney’s ferry service will be another nail in the coffin for the state’s credit rating, said Shadow Treasurer Mike Baird said today.

“It’s very concerning reports today the Rees Government’s plans to overhaul the service, including involving private sector involvement, are being shelved,” Mr Baird said.

“These are exactly the type of expenditure concerns the ratings agencies have raised in determining the future of the state’s AAA rating,” he said.

“They are looking to see whether the Rees Government has the ability to ‘re-jig their spending like they’re planning’.(1)

“Unfortunately it appears they don’t, and the people of NSW will pay the cost of this incompetence. Abandoning the reform of the ferry service could cost the state $1 billion over the next 10 years. That doesn’t even take into account the hundreds of millions of dollars in additional funding costs to the state if the AAA rating is lost.

“This is at a time when Treasurer Roozendaal is warning of the financial pressures on the upcoming State Budget which is likely to reveal a multi-billion dollar deficit.

“I have seen a direct example of how services can be improved with the Manly Fast Ferry.

The Rees Government abandoned the people in Manly, but with people power we had a new service, run by a private operator which has delivered a 100 percent on time service and is still saving taxpayers $7 million a year. This is just the tip of the iceberg of what could be achieved.

“Just as significantly, a back-down on Sydney Ferries reinforces the already negative perception in the business community towards investing in NSW.

“Ironically, yesterday the State Labor Government revealed that it wanted to secure private sector finance for the Rozelle Metro. Today they closed the doors on investment in state services.

“Businesses won’t invest if they fear the Rees Labor Government will change its mind on projects and give in to the union’s bullying at every turn.

“Unfortunately, that lost investment, means lost jobs for NSW,” Mr Baird said.

(1) Standard & Poors, Brendan Flynn, The Australian, 25 Feb 09

Media Contact: Wendy Black 0418 532 534

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Comments (5)

Providing services

Interestingly, whatever else they say, the ALP have pursued a strategy of "metro rail" for no other reason that they know that they can't reform (read: Fix) RailCorp. The unions have railways in a vice like grip and are not even slightly interested in efficiencies. Millions could be saved if RailCorp workplace practice could be reformed, without even relying upon the types of efficiencies that the private sector could in theory bring to rail.
They have neither the conviction to reform the public sector, nor the ability to attract (and manage the investment of) the private sector. This is the real reason that the state is fundamentally stuffed.

Posted by: Mark at 22-05-2009 14:01

Ferry Service

Mike - agree with your blog comments generally and am amazed that the private ferry operator can run the service at a profit.

I have used the fast service a number of tmes but not always peak hours when it's crowded,

It seems that they are operating with one hand tied behind their back. Notices and sign sbaout the service are small and badly poitioned for the general public who don't know ehere they are located. the normal ferry staff try not to tell you that advice even though at the Wharf they use the same quay. At Circular Quay its even worse because they operate off different wharves. I believe more people would use the fast ferry outside peak hours if they were given even footing re signage and booking. For instance why cant one of the existing normal feerry booking windows be assigned to them? If we want to see what they can really do then we should be negotiating these changes fast. carlo

Posted by: Carlo Bongarzoni at 22-05-2009 14:32

FERRIES

My favourite topic - Mike you are 100% correct , how the gov't deals with this issue is a test for its all but non existent wider economic credentials and the ability of the state, indeed federal, ALP to disconnect from its stacked voting system and the rent seekers who inhabit the trade union movement at the expense of their members and their members' kids jobs. They stand for nothing.

Posted by: Chris Wood at 22-05-2009 14:52

Rees Fleeces us yet again.............

This again does not surprise me, but what does surprise me is how the Rees Government is being allowed to get away with such blatant disregard for NSW investment ( which is his governing area ) by the way. Good one Rees, you have done it again, and again and again, when will you learn!

Posted by: Debra Arena at 22-05-2009 15:19

Ferry Services and other transport issue

Mike. Once again as I have said before, this State Government has not the guts to take on the unions such as the M.U.A. who virtually dictate how the ferries will be built operated and control staffing levels (not to mention the excessive wages paid for some positions. Sydney Ferries needs a complete overhaul which includes Private Sector operation which it used to have prior to 1951. The allocation of an additional 20 new buses to this Northern Beaches out of an order for 300 is another example of The Rees Government's contempt for this area.

Posted by: Bruce O'Toole at 23-05-2009 09:17