Train Drivers Dispute

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley) (14:13): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. What is the minister doing to minimise taxpayer exposure following recent industrial action? With leave of yourself, sir, and the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: There is current industrial action with train drivers on strike today, and we know trains and trams return to government hands in 2025.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:13): I think the first measure I would like to inform the house of is that we are undoing the privatisation of the rail contracts—

The Hon. V.A. Tarzia: How many million did that cost?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The irony of being asked a question about the cost of industrial action with a private operator and their staff on public services when, by bringing it back in, those employees will be negotiating with the government! The way we minimise those costs and minimise disruptions to the public is by essential services being managed by the government, not by private operators.

I am very disappointed that it has come to this. It is my firm view that workers are entitled to take industrial action. It is their democratic right to do so, to withdraw their labour, and I support the ability of workers to withdraw their labour, but there are consequences when it comes to essential services, and if those essential services are public transport. Public transport is an essential service, which is why this government wants it back in public control, where we are deciding the timetable, we are deciding the expenditure, we are running—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —our trains and trams. I heard interjections from the shadow minister for energy, 'What about the buses?' We are also conducting a body of work to see whether we can bring those services back into public hands as well. Privatisation of essential services fails; it fails people. Anyone who opens their power bill will see the failure there. Anyone who saw—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Hartley! Member for Morphett! Member for Hammond!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: If at any time members who are interjecting want to ask me a question, they are welcome to it and I will answer it. Interjecting is almost a disservice to the person asking the question.

The SPEAKER: It's also contrary to the standing orders, minister.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, sir, it is. My view on this dispute is that it is unfortunate and that it should not have occurred. I would encourage Keolis Downer to honour its contractual obligations to the state and make sure that they are doing all they can to get back to the negotiating table. I would also encourage the RTBU to do its very best to get back to the negotiating table as well.

I would also point out that the government is enacting clauses in the contract to make sure that any substitute buses are paid for by Keolis Downer, not by the taxpayer. We are doing all we can within the bus service to make sure that we can deal with any potential overflow; but it is very, very disappointing.

I have been pleased with the messaging campaign to try to let people know of this inconvenience facing commuters. We are still struggling to get back to pre-COVID numbers of people on commuter rail and buses and trams. We are working very hard to do just that. I am looking forward to our trains and trams coming back into public hands, where we can have a coordinated government-led effort to encourage more public transport to help decarbonise public transport, save people money and offer a better service to our constituents than the one that is offered to them by a privatised offering.