Previously secret documents released on the CBD Metro show how the public is being slugged with stupidly high fees, levied by lawyers and accountants and other private firms, because the government has contracted out the provision of advice once provided by public servants," Ms Rhiannon said.
"15 boxes of previously secret documents about the CBD Metro, released after a Greens motion was passed by the Upper House, include a smattering of bills from law firms hired by RailCorp and the Premier's Department to attend meetings, draft contracts and provide advice.
"One bill alone shows big corporate law firm Clayton Utz slugged the Premier's Department more than $120,000 for a month's work. If the company billed the government at this rate over a year it would receive over $1.5 million in public money for a project that subsequently fell-over.
"Another invoice shows the secondment of a Clayton Utz lawyer to the Co-ordinator General's office in the Premier's Department for 22 days. The officer was paid nearly $900 a day, representing an annual salary of over $230,000.
"The hidden costs of the failed CBD Metro project are yet to be revealed but these documents show that the invoices levied by private consultants could well add up to many millions.
"Over a decade the NSW Labor government has created a bureaucratic culture whereby the advice of internal staff is shunned in favour of private consultants, with expertise draining out of government departments at a rapid rate.
"While stinging the public, this approach creates a culture where government departments are overseeing rather than delivering public projects.
"Relying on advice provided at arm's length by the private sector removes the impetus on government agencies to keep their eye on the ball, contributing to the mess that projects like the CBD Metro and Cross City Tunnel have got into," Ms Rhiannon said.
For more information: 9230 3551/0427 861 568
"15 boxes of previously secret documents about the CBD Metro, released after a Greens motion was passed by the Upper House, include a smattering of bills from law firms hired by RailCorp and the Premier's Department to attend meetings, draft contracts and provide advice.
"One bill alone shows big corporate law firm Clayton Utz slugged the Premier's Department more than $120,000 for a month's work. If the company billed the government at this rate over a year it would receive over $1.5 million in public money for a project that subsequently fell-over.
"Another invoice shows the secondment of a Clayton Utz lawyer to the Co-ordinator General's office in the Premier's Department for 22 days. The officer was paid nearly $900 a day, representing an annual salary of over $230,000.
"The hidden costs of the failed CBD Metro project are yet to be revealed but these documents show that the invoices levied by private consultants could well add up to many millions.
"Over a decade the NSW Labor government has created a bureaucratic culture whereby the advice of internal staff is shunned in favour of private consultants, with expertise draining out of government departments at a rapid rate.
"While stinging the public, this approach creates a culture where government departments are overseeing rather than delivering public projects.
"Relying on advice provided at arm's length by the private sector removes the impetus on government agencies to keep their eye on the ball, contributing to the mess that projects like the CBD Metro and Cross City Tunnel have got into," Ms Rhiannon said.
For more information: 9230 3551/0427 861 568
]]>“The NSW government has dropped the ball on public transport, leaving an enormous vacuum which the Gillard government should help fill,” Ms Rhiannon said.
"The Australian Greens propose a dedicated, sustainable transport arm within Infrastructure Australia to develop public transport.
“Australia is the only OECD country where the federal government has no formal role in delivering public transport. The Gillard government should partner with the NSW government to engage more closely with Sydney’s transport future.
“This week’s announcement on the Parramatta-Epping rail link is a
start, but Western Sydney will still wait too long for action. This
project is virtually ‘shovel ready’, yet it won’t be complete until 2017.
“Other areas of Sydney, like the North West, remain public transport vacuums.
“The US provides a good model, where its federal government funds public transport, including capital support to kick start projects and provides some recurrent funding for operating costs.
“The key to reducing greenhouse emissions is not Gillard’s ‘cash-for-clunkers’ scheme, or new motorways like the M5 duplication and F3 to M2 link which Minister Albanese is backing.
“The future should lie with prioritising a low carbon public transport system for Sydney.
“Three past Federal Parliamentary Committee reports and Ross Garnaut have called for increased federal involvement in developing public and active transport.
“Infrastructure Australia, in releasing its priority list for funding in June, expressed disappointment at the NSW’s government’s lack of transport planning, judging nothing was ready to fund in this state.
“The Federal government has a responsibility to insulate Sydneysiders from the pain felt from our poor public transport system. Where public transport is built, research shows people will get out of their cars and use it.
“Residents on low incomes and those living in middle and outer suburbs would be the biggest beneficiaries of greater federal investment, allowing them to connect to transport hubs.
“Traffic congestion, air pollution, road trauma and high petrol bills would be reduced if upgrading public transport in Sydney became a Federal priority,” Ms Rhiannon said.
See also the Greens' Transport Plans for Western Sydney, Light Rail and High Speed Rail.
The transport sector is the third largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia, contributing 14.4% of emissions. Road transport accounts for 88% of this. The greatest projected growth in emissions is expected to come from an increase in road travel. Public transport is the key to reducing this growth, tackling congestion and air pollution and improving quality of life.
Until the Rudd government established Infrastructure Australia, public transport had not received Commonwealth funding since the Better Cities Program in the 1990s. Transport has traditionally been the domain of state and local governments, with the Commonwealth topping up funding for projects of major significance. Infrastructure Australia has assessment processes which are meant to ensure more sustainable public transport funding. The major parties defeated Senator Christine Milne’s proposal to more embed sustainability principles in Infrastructure Australia’s charter. As a result, most Commonwealth funding is still spent on roads.
The Greens seek a shift to sustainable transport – cycling, walking and heavy and light rail - to help the environment and combat air pollution. New motorway projects like the M5 duplication and M4 East should not proceed.
Investment in roads and subsidisation of the trucking industry at the expense of the rail network has seen a big increase in road freight. The number of b-doubles on our roads has rocketed from 700 in 1997 to more than 6,000 currently, increasing air pollution, worsening congestion and posing a considerable safety risk.
The expansion of Port Botany and Sydney Airport will substantially increase truck movements across Sydney. There is no indication the government will meet its target of moving 40 percent of an expanded Port Botany’s containers by rail. Even if this target is reached, the expansion will still see a 200-300% increase in containers transported by trucks through the arterial road network.
Research shows that if just 15 percent of road freight was
transferred to rail then the number of road deaths would be reduced by
45 each year. Putting 10 percent of road freight on rail would save 250
million litres of diesel fuel a year. A 2006 study shows that
approximately $3 billion is lost annually through the under-recovery of
external costs such as crashes, air pollution, noise and greenhouse gas
emissions. These are caused by the extensive use of b-doubles, road
trains and semi-trailers.
The Greens seek an end to the federal and state subsidisation of the trucking industry, proper road pricing and implementation of the Henry Tax Review’s recommendation for mass-distance location pricing for heavy vehicles to help pay for their specific marginal road-wear costs. We want increased investment in rail freight, including more funding for the Australian Rail Track Corporation to create local jobs in improving rail infrastructure.
Active transport will reduce our reliance on oil and greenhouse emissions. It also has significant health benefits.
Cycling
Federal Greens Senators negotiated an additional $40 million in funding for cycleways as part of the Economic Stimulus package, but much more is still needed.
The NSW government’s Bike Plan, released in May, allocates a paltry
$16 million a year for cycling. This lack of investment flies in the
face of a growing thirst for cycling in Sydney. There was a 6% increase
in the use of bicycles to commute to work in Sydney between 2001-2006. Over 50 % of car trips in Sydney are under 5km and 30% are
less than 3km, making cycling a perfect alternative to the car.
Providing safe routes for cyclists will encourage even more to ride. Studies show cities that consistently invest in connected bicycle infrastructure enjoy a higher share of cycling as a mode of transport.
The Greens advocate a safe and secure network of separated bike routes and safe on road paths. We want to integrate cycling and public transport by providing a range of end-of-ride bike facilities, such as accessible, undercover racks, showers and lockers at stations and wharves. Transport fares for bikes should be dropped. All new commercial and large residential development should be built with secure bike parking, shower and locker facilities.
Pedestrians
While everyone is a pedestrian, little detailed planning occurs for
this form of active transport in Sydney and many streets are hostile
to pedestrians. In Sydney the average walking only trip is 700 metres.
Failing to plan for pedestrians is detrimental to public transport use
as almost all public transport trips have a walking component.
The Greens support increased use of traffic calming measures and lower speed limits, separated walking paths, wider footpaths and raised crossings, increased opportunities to cross roads safely and at intersections, better street amenities (eg shelters from rain and sun, seats, toilets, trees to provide shade) and improved street lighting.
]]>“This reluctance to commit to the link throws into doubt many of Mr O’Farrell’s other grand promises on public transport.
"While there is every reason to be cynical about another Labor commitment to build this rail line, Barry O’Farrell must firmly commit to complete the project today.
"By avoiding the issue Mr O'Farrell has demonstrated that he doesn't understand the importance of this link to increasing access for people in western Sydney to the job rich new technology industries around Macquarie Park, Ryde and Macquarie University.
"This link would also significantly improve access to the Parramatta Campus of the University of Western Sydney at Rydlamere, making transport to the campus quicker, easier and cheaper for many thousands of students.
“The project would also allow substantial reduction in traffic congestion around Parramatta Campus and indeed in the whole area from Parramatta to Epping.
"Western Sydney has waited for this line for too long, and a commitment from Labor to build it when the budget returns to surplus is not good enough.
"The engineering and survey work has been done. This project is very close to 'shovel ready' and work should proceed now,” Ms Rhiannon said.
]]>“There are currently $220 million in unspent funds for the new alignment of the Great Western Highway through Hartley Valley and south of the River Lett Hill between Lithgow and Mount Victoria.
“The Greens want these funds diverted towards local rail infrastructure to shift freight off Blue Mountains roads and give locals faster and more frequent rail services.
“Greens MPs in NSW and Federal parliaments will ask questions in budget estimates to uncover where this unspent money is and to push for this money to be diverted to rail projects that the local community wants.
“The Blue Mountains is an iconic World Heritage Area, not an industrial highway. The Greens remain opposed to any move to turn Bells Line of Road into a ‘super highway’", said Ms Rhiannon.
Ms McCallum said: “Locals in the Blue Mountains are sick of seeing freight trucks rolling down the Great Western Highway, thundering past out schools and splitting our villages in half.
“The precious environment of the Blue Mountains is a completely inappropriate environment for road freight.
“The Greens support calls by the Blackheath Highway Action Group to transfer $220 million in unspent road upgrade funds to:
“The remainder of unspent funds should be diverted to implement the Blackheath Highway Safety Management Plan and to fix safety blackspots on the Great Western Highway east of Katoomba.
“More freight trucks on Blue Mountains' roads risks increased accidents. The Federal Government should instead invest in environmentally friendly rail freight infrastructure.
“We need a Greens Senator in NSW to push for increased federal support for rail and public transport in the Blue Mountains”, said Ms McCallum.
Contact: Lee Rhiannon 0427 861 568, Carmel McCallum 0414 392 660
]]>