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Sydney Metro City and Southwest

Published on: August 2024

Record: HANSARD-1323879322-143134

Sydney Metro City and Southwest

Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore) (12:42:31):

My question is directed to the Minister for Transport. On 11 February the Fire Brigade Employees Union issued a code red directive that "effective immediately all activities related to the Sydney Metro rail network are banned". At a meeting of over 20 senior official on 12 July, the National Rail Safety Regulator said that the Metro City opening date of 4 August was a tight timeline, and Sydney Metro's acting head of project delivery acknowledged this. Why then did the Minister wait until 30 July to announce that the metro would not be opened on 4 August?

Ms JO HAYLEN (Summer HillMinister for Transport) (12:43:18):

— I thank the member for her question. I know that her community is excited about what Metro City presents and, indeed, the extra bus services that are available to them, including in areas across the Lower North Shore and the north-west, that will connect them to the new metro service. As I have said previously, I was advised by Sydney Metro and Transport for NSW that 4 August was the best target date and that all matters should be settled and signed off prior to 4 August. Providing a target date is important.

The SPEAKER:

I remind the member for Dubbo that he is on a call to order. I call the member for Dubbo to order for the second time.

Ms JO HAYLEN:

It gives guidance and direction to the many agencies and partners and, indeed, the thousands of workers involved in bringing this brand-new public transport service to life. When I announced on 7 July that we had a target date, I said that it was subject to final testing and regulatory approvals. Members opposite might like to laugh, but they are laughing at the suggestion that we would open a railway without the relevant safety approvals. I also said at the time, "Final confirmation of the opening date will be given when the operator successfully completes more than 100 remaining trial running exercises." I am pleased that not only are those trial running exercises complete, but the extra additional exercises that needed to be complete, in conjunction with Fire and Rescue, are also complete. That means that the safety assurance processes are now very close.

I appreciate that the member for North Shore's constituents, along with the constituents of many members in this place and, indeed, Sydneysiders, were excited and looking forward to jumping on this public transport service last Sunday. I wanted to open those gates and let them jump on board. I was disappointed too. However, I cannot do that. This Government will not allow that until the safety assurances are in place. Those opposite are proposing a series of questions that would suggest that they would do otherwise. Would they do otherwise?

The SPEAKER:

Order! Members will come to order.

Ms JO HAYLEN:

Would they open a public transport service without those assurances?

The SPEAKER:

The member for Willoughby will come to order.

Ms JO HAYLEN:

That is bad public policy, and it risks public safety. That is something we are not willing to do. This incredibly valuable, transformational public transport service will open soon. I know that the member for North Shore and her constituents, along with thousands and thousands of Sydneysiders, are looking forward to that opportunity, which will come to them very soon.