[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Did Sturges Mislead GBEs Over New Norfolk Bus Sale?_T Morris MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

HAS STURGES MISLED GBE COMMITTEE OVER NEW NORFOLK BUS ROUTE SALE?

Calls for Moratorium on Other Bus Route Changes

Tim Morris MP
Greens Shadow Infrastructure spokesperson

Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today have accused the Infrastructure Minister,
Graeme Sturges, of misleading a Legislative Council Parliamentary
Committee hearing last week over the privatisation of Metro's New
Norfolk bus route, when he asserted that at that stage, "there have been
discussions and discussions only".

Greens Shadow Infrastructure spokesperson Tim Morris MP said that the
Minister must also now direct Metro to place a moratorium on any further
bus route alterations until affected communities have been consulted,
given concerns over plans to discontinue or curtail services such as
Seven Mile Beach, and establish a policy of providing sufficient
notification of changes before they are implemented.

Mr Morris also said that members of the public are raising with him
concerns that their services will be reduced, with the latest being
Mount Nelson to Sandy Bay.

"Minister Sturges has a lot of explaining to do.  How is it that Metro's
New Norfolk bus service is sold a week after he informs the
Parliamentary Committee that it is just at 'discussions' stage, and what
is going on with other metropolitan bus services?"

"Mr Sturges must now clarify the public record, and explain his
statement to the Parliamentary Committee last week that in relation to
the sale of the New Norfolk bus route, "there have been some very early
discussions...I am advised thee have been discussions and discussions
only.". (1)

"Five days following Mr Sturges' statement to the Committee Metro has
signed on the dotted line and the New Norfolk route has been sold to
O'Driscoll Coaches. At that speed from discussions to sale, the rail
network could have been sold multiple times by now."

"It is bad enough to leave commuters in the dark, but treating the
public with such contempt is unacceptable."

"It is also unacceptable for commuters to be left in the dark by Metro
over their transport options, and the only way now for Minister Sturges
to redeem himself is to direct Metro to place an immediate moratorium on
any further route changes until the community have been consulted."

"The Greens are calling for Metro to establish a notification policy
that provides for at least a month's warning  of any bus route changes,
as it is just unacceptable for people to find out now that some time
after Christmas some services have been reduced or discontinued all
together," Mr Morris said.


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(1) Tasmanian Legislative Council Hansard Excerpt:

Government Business Enterprise Committee Hearings - Metro. Thursday 4
December 2008.

Mr MARTIN - Has there been any consultation with the New Norfolk
community and local government?

Mr STURGES - As the chair said, there have been some very early
discussions. As with most

commercial matters that are under initial discussion, they are just
that. We are not suggesting in

any way that there will be a variation to the level of service but there
may be a variation in who

operates that service. At this particular time, on a commercial basis, I
am advised there have been

discussions and discussions only. I do not know whether the chair could
elaborate further.





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