Key Points
A Rebecca White Labor Government will restore Tasmania’s bus services and make Metro work.
In addition to support Tasmanians with the cost of living by providing half price fares for a year, we are focused on delivering a better and more reliable service around the state.
Labor’s plan will:
- Improve pay and conditions for bus drivers and mechanics.
- Shake up Metro by holding a review into Metro.
- Improve bus accessibility.
- Make it an offence to intimidate, abuse or harass public transport workers.
- Deliver real-time bus tracking and integrated statewide ticketing and planning service.
- Directly employ permanent transit officers for bus safety.
- Support the rollout of safety screens on buses quickly.
Why we need it
After 10 years, the Liberals have driven Metro into the ground. The treatment of Metro and its workers has led to 180 services being indefinitely cancelled, rolling strike action and brand damage.
“We are focused on delivering reliable services for Tasmanians and better conditions for staff.”
Under the Liberals, Metro executive salaries have risen by massive amounts while mechanics have been fighting for a fair rate of pay for over a year. A third of mechanic positions at the company remain vacant.
The Liberals can’t claim to be working to fix our public transport when they are doing nothing to ensure there are enough mechanics to fix buses that need repairs or enough drivers to drive them.
The details
Labor will:
1. Address the worker shortage
This will be a vital step to improve staff retention, restore and increase services. We will dedicate up to $4.2 million a year to reaching fair industry pay and conditions.
2. Shake up Metro
A Labor Government will appoint an independent expert to review Metro. The review will focus on service improvement, reliability and governance.
We will also appoint a permanent Public Transport Advisory Board to advise Metro and the State Government on issues such as service needs, disability access, the needs of young people and students, and public safety.
3. Better services for areas that need it
Once Metro has started addressing its driver shortages through improved culture and conditions, a Labor Government will create extra routes to service areas based on need.
The places which need public transport the most, including Glenorchy, Claremont and Brighton in the south and Newnham, Ravenswood and Prospect Vale in the north, will be prioritised, informed by a thorough study of local public transport needs.
We will employ 50 FTE extra bus drivers to service these routes, at a cost of $2.75 million.
4. Improve bus accessibility & ticketing
Labor will increase government spending on bus infrastructure by spending $300,000 a year, an increase of $50,000 a year, with a priority on disability access and areas most in need.
A Labor Government is committed to delivering an integrated statewide public transport and journey planner, with real-time tracking, for commuters to access online and on their smartphone. Once this system is in place, we will reduce reliance on cash floats to enhance safety on buses.
We will also immediately take control of the single ticketing project, which after years of promises from the Liberals is delayed and over budget.
5. Improve bus safety
A Labor Government supports the rollout of safety screens on buses and will make sure these will be rolled out quickly and in consultation with drivers.
A Labor Government will create a new offence in the Criminal Code for intimidating, abusing or harassing public transport workers.