Dear members,

At this time we continue to hope that you're staying safe and following government health advice. With our recent face mask win, don't forget that your employer will give you a mask if you ask for one. Recently the public has also been encouraged to wear masks in high-risk public settings, particularly in supermarkets and on public transport.

The border between NSW and Victoria is still closed with border zone residents needing a NSW border permit to cross over. This permit is only approved for absolutely essential reasons. Additionally, NSW residents returning from Victoria will have their hotel quarantine fee waived for the next month so that their financial burden is eased. A complete turnaround from last week. ACT residents in Victoria can travel through NSW if they have the right entry certificate. NSW residents are still not allowed into Queensland and we continue to hold on to our holiday plans for a bit longer.

Most operators have added new safety screens or extended existing ones to combat the increase in spitting, which is a disgusting act in any circumstance but takes on new dimensions during a pandemic. We can report that STA are now at the point where installations of new screens should begin next week simultaneously in all regions. It will be rolled out continually until the entire fleet is done and will protect drivers from most attempts at assault as well as spitting. If there can be a good thing taken out of our current situation it’s that the government has spent more than 1 million dollars in a concrete measure towards improving driver safety.

This week has also brought some more big news - the tender for bus privatisation in Region 7 has been released. This is a part of the ongoing attack on members, commuters and the general public as bus privatisation brings so many issues that we've seen in other regions. We still can't understand why anyone thinks it is a good idea to have reduced services, blowouts in running times and inappropriate COVID-19 safety measures. There has yet to be a single sustainable reason put forward to support this, and certainly no business case as to why it’s a good idea. This continuation of the government’s attack on our services will not go unanswered.

As part of the fight to prevent the continual privatisation of our buses, the residents of the Northern Beaches have created a petition for Parliament. Thanks to their tireless efforts, e-petitions can now be submitted on the NSW Parliament website and 20,000 signatures are needed to trigger a parliamentary debate. Join in the fight and sign the petition now!

During some of the toughest times we've ever experienced, the NSW Government relentlessly attacking us and we have to let them know that this won't fly. We are stronger together and we will keep bringing up the issue until they can't ignore it anymore. We're loud and proud and we stand in solidarity against this ridiculous decision.

Media Release: Ryde, Chatswood to lose bus services as private tender opens

The Berejiklian Government has today released a tender for local bus privatisation in Region 7, including services in the Premier’s electorate, despite the risk of reduced services, blowouts in running times and concerns about coronavirus safety measures, according to the RTBU Tram and Bus Division.

Region 7 covers North West Sydney including Chatswood, Ryde and Epping.

The region is the second of Sydney’s three public bus regions to be opened to private tender, despite overwhelming public opposition, two NSW Parliament debates and a community campaign that collected more than 22,000 signatures opposing bus privatisation.

David Babineau, Tram and Bus Division Secretary at the Rail, Tram and Bus Union NSW, says the Berejiklian Government’s relentless privatisation agenda is selling out local communities and essential public transport services.

“The sell off of North West Sydney’s local buses could not come at a worse time for the community and workers,” he said today.

“Premier Berejiklian will stop at nothing in the push to hand out public services for private profits, despite the high costs to local communities.

“We saw what privatisation in the Inner West did to those suburbs, where on-time running has plummeted and routes have been quietly cut back. We saw it in Newcastle, which has seen more than 150 bus stops ripped up and there were media reports in recent days of more bus stops being axed in the Sutherland Shire.

Hiding behind a private operator and with no consultation, commuters in Sutherland Shire and St George lose 10 bus stops this month, with promises this will improve on-time running despite the comparatively poor performance of private operators compared with publicly run buses.

“No one in the community wants to see the operation of our public transport network sold off to the highest bidder to fund their shareholder handouts,” says Mr Babineau.

“Public transport services are more important than ever, in a public health crisis where people still need to get around including essential trips to supermarkets, pharmacies and medical appointments. We cannot cut corners. We cannot risk public safety being compromised by corporations trying to squeeze every red cent from our buses.”

“The public know privatisation is a con – communities get an inconvenient and inferior service when transport is privatised.

“The RTBU calls on the Premier Berejiklian to revoke the tender for Region 7 and 8 buses and put an end to further bus privatisation across the network,” Mr Babineau said.

In the media

As part of the fight against bus privatisation, we are continually talking to the media and telling them our story and why it's so important to save our buses. With the release of the Region 7 tenders this week, we have to keep the momentum going and Tram and Bus Division Secretary was on ABC Sydney Breakfast radio talking about what the bus privatisation plan means and how ridiculous it all sounds. Have a listen here from 38:32. 

Click here to see all our media features on Tram and Bus Express.

Call your MP about bus privatisation

We are continuing the fight against bus privatisation and have launched a brand new way to call your MP. It's really important that we contact MPs and tell them why they're doing the wrong thing as many of the bus routes under the axe fall under local MP electorates, meaning that they are supporting the move and ruining bus services for residents in their own electorates who may have voted for them!

That's despicable. We have to do something about it.

You can do something by telling them you want to be heard and use our simple tool to ring up your local MP office without having to think about which MP to call. Just make sure you ring them up during office hours and don't let them push you aside by telling you to write them a letter or email instead. Tell them you have to be heard and you need a meeting to discuss bus privatisation.

Just make sure they haven't already committed to opposing the privatisation of buses by checking out our gallery here.

Click here to give your MP a call and tell them why they need to oppose bus privatisation now.

COVID-19: FAQs

We are constantly updating the COVID-19 frequently asked questions section of the website, so please make sure you head there and have a look. If you still have questions, please don't hesitate to contact your local delegate or the Division office at nswbus@rtbu-nsw.asn.au. 

Thanks again for your essential work during a time of crisis.

Once again, stay safe.

In solidarity, 

David Babineau and Daniel Jaggers