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Sydney Metro

Published on: September 2024

Record: HANSARD-1323879322-145871

Sydney Metro

Ms KELLIE SLOANE (Vaucluse) (15:29:47):

I move:

That this House:

(1)Acknowledges that the previous Government designed, funded, and built the Sydney Metro.

(2)Notes the current Government had one job, to open the Sydney Metro on time, and have failed that task.

(3)Condemns the Government for failing New South Wales commuters and leaving taxpayers to foot the bill for union delays.

Our State is rightly proud of the Sydney Metro. It is the type of visionary project that leaves you going, "Wow, we really do achieve incredible things in New South Wales." There are trains under Sydney Harbour for the very first time. It is Australia's biggest transport project. Just over a month ago, I was at Waterloo station on the day of the Sydney Metro City opening. The moment I remember most from that morning was meeting a little kid called Adam, who had taken the very first journey of the first train from Tallawong to Sydney. I think he said he was going to do that over and over through the day. It was a really special moment. That enthusiasm was shared from kids to adults alike. Commuters were taking pictures. It was a special moment for Sydney, with the people of Sydney saying, "Wow, we are so proud."

As I went down the escalators, I got a sense of the enormity of the project and how beautiful it is. A transport project is a thing of beauty. Imagine getting somewhere fast in Sydney. It was so exciting. It took the vision of the Liberals and The Nationals and leaders like Gladys Berejiklian, Barry O'Farrell, Mike Baird and Dominic Perrottet to deliver Australia's biggest transport project. It took the strength of staying on the course when many said it could not or should not be done. I pay credit to the Premier, who graciously acknowledged the role of those Liberal leaders in delivering Sydney Metro. But we must never forget that, if Labor had been in government, there would have been no metro. It opposed Sydney Metro time and again. If it were up to Labor, it would have been an idea gathering dust on the shelf.

The Liberals build things. The Liberals designed, funded and built Sydney Metro. Labor botched the opening. We delivered visionary public transport for the future. Labor fights for drivers on driverless trains. What next? Perhaps soon we might see Labor's big push for a return of switchboard operators or maybe some typists for ChatGPT. There is an idea. Maybe it is hatching a plan to have faxes replace emails. That would be a good idea too—perhaps telegrams over text messages. Labor is so retro when it comes to the metro that those opposite might soon be donning shoulder pads and leg warmers again. I love eighties music, but that is a stretch too far for me.

Muriel's Wedding

Under 18 months of the Government, there has been zero vision, budget mismanagement and broken promises. You only have to look at its decision to delay Sydney Metro West, which cost taxpayers $364 million, or the union delays to the T3 conversion to see that Labor does not have a plan and a vision and the capacity to deliver for New South Wales. Cancelling transport projects is in Labor's DNA. Let us not forget that, when it was last in government, Kristina Keneally cancelled the CBD metro project at a cost of about $400 million to taxpayers. Perhaps she needed to listen to Bill Heslop from —speaking of retro—when he said, "You can't stop progress." And you should not stop progress, because Sydney Metro is revolutionising how our city travels, connecting Sydney's north, north-west, south-west and greater west to fast, reliable, turn‑up‑and‑go metro services with fully accessible train stations.

The Guardian

The new Sydney Metro delivers 15.5 kilometres of new metro rail. That is part of an overall 113 kilometres of new metro rail. It takes 10 minutes to go from Chatswood to Martin Place, 35 minutes from Castle Hill to Martin Place, and six minutes from Central to Sydenham. Sydney Metro is slashing travel times. It is fast, frequent and fabulous. I have spoken to commuters who say that the metro has made their trip to work and home so much easier. They are saying it is really life-changing and very special. Quick travel times mean more time at home with their family and friends. Sydney Metro is what people want. I like what said. It described the Sydney Metro as being "like a futuristic movie where everything is beautiful and peaceful". How about that for an infrastructure project description? It reflects our position as a global city. We are so proud of it.

Across New South Wales, people want leadership that delivers a positive vision for our State, that does not say an idea is impossible or it is too hard, or it cannot find the money for it. Leadership that tackles the big issues and does not tinker at the edges. When the former Government came to office in 2011, we inherited 16 years of Labor neglect to our roads, our rail, our hospitals and our schools. We essentially had to rebuild all our hospitals in New South Wales. Over 12 years we invested in the future through road, rail, hospitals and schools. We delivered for the here and now, and into the future.

Ms Maryanne Stuart:

You need to fact check, big time.

Ms KELLIE SLOANE:

I can provide the member with a list. The Liberals and The Nationals built or significantly upgraded more than 180 hospitals in New South Wales, with another 130 still in development when we left office. We left them as a gift for those opposite, who cut the ribbons. Our 2023 budget saw more than triple the health capital spending and double the health recurrent spending of Labor's budget in 2010‑11. In a cost‑of‑living crisis, people want to know that the Government has their back and that it has a vision, but it simply does not. We have a Premier fighting hardworking nurses and backing in drivers of driverless trains when what we need is a Premier focused on delivering better health outcomes and tackling the cost-of-living crisis. Sydney Metro is a gift for future generations—for our kids, their kids and the kids of the future. Labor must be on board and continue the journey of delivering projects like it and more now and into the future.

Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL (Coogee) (15:36:54):

Never have I seen such a self‑gratifying, elitist, arrogant, smug, self‑aggrandising yet brave motion being moved in this House. My dear constituent, the member for Vaucluse, has the absolute gall to walk into this Chamber and lecture us, but it takes a particular level of bravery to lecture us on deadlines. It is that absolute arrogance that got those opposite voted out in the first place. They live in an absolute bubble of privilege and are completely and utterly out of touch with everyone. They are taking ownership for things that do not belong to them. They have been putting out Liberal Party propaganda that says that they funded the project. Let us be clear: They did not fund it. The people of New South Wales funded it. The taxpayers of New South Wales funded it.

The SPEAKER:

I call the member for North Shore to order for the first time. I call the member for Ryde to order for the first time.

Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL:

The metro of this State—all of the infrastructure of this State—does not belong to those opposite. It does not belong to me. It does not belong to any member. It belongs to the people of New South Wales.

The SPEAKER:

I call the member for Ryde to order for the second time.

Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL:

Those infrastructure projects are not playthings that those opposite can use as props. I appreciate that the Hon. Natalie Ward from the other place would have been a little upset that the start date of the metro had to be pushed back—the National Rail Safety Regulator had advised that it had to do that—because she had planned a fundraiser for the opening date. It would have been a bit of a miserable fundraiser to go to. You had to buy your own drinks. Were the members opposite invited? It was a cash bar. I would not have gone to that fundraiser. I would hold a better fundraiser than that.

I appreciate that members representing the electorates of Castle Hill, North Shore, Willoughby and Oatley crawled out of bed in the early mornings to hand out their Liberal Party propaganda, full of self-aggrandising, petty politics. I will say it here and I will continue saying it: The Opposition did not fund this project; the people of New South Wales did. It is their infrastructure; it is their metro. It is not yours; it is not ours. It belongs to the people of this State. If the member for Vaucluse had it her way, she would have ignored the National Rail Safety Regulator. Members on this side of the House will never, ever apologise for putting safety first because we want to build trust in our transportation system. We do that by building systems that work. But that is not what members opposite do. Remember when they ordered trains off the shelf from South Korea that did not fit into the heritage‑listed tunnels?

Against the advice of the National Rail Safety Regulator, they then wanted to change the rules. But they still do not work. I remind the member for Vaucluse about what happened in December 2019. I will wind back time to the opening of the CBD and South East Light Rail, which broke down on day one—not once, but twice! It broke down twice on the opening day—wonderful! The project cost double its budget, and it did not work because the former Government rushed its opening. Then we have Sydney Metro North West. The former Government was forced to apologise for a meltdown on the system just weeks after it opened. Members on this side of the House will never apologise for putting safety before champagne corks. We want to build trust in our transportation system.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Clayton Barr):

I remind the member for Terrigal that he is on two calls to order.

Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL:

Safety is our number one priority, and we will always put safety first. Let us be very clear: The Premier and the Minister for Transport have credited the former Coalition Government with conceiving and delivering the metro project. Members on this side of the House have not sought to claim credit for the project for political pointscoring. We completely understand that the metro is a transformative project that will fundamentally change the way we move around the city, and we are absolutely on board with that. But this is the motion that keeps on giving. Comrade Vaucluse is not sure where she sits. One moment she is union bashing, having a go about safety and getting more workers going, the next thing—

Ms Yasmin Catley:

She is getting a photo.

Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL:

She is all over the place! The next thing she is outside with the nurses, standing shoulder to shoulder with working people.

Ms Yasmin Catley:

Only one!

Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL:

Only one. From one trade unionist to another, I will give Comrade Sloane a little bit of advice. If she cares about working people, my advice is to be consistent and stop flip-flopping on this.

Ms Kellie Sloane:

Marjorie, at least look at me when you say that stuff. It's very funny!

Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL:

It is funny. Be consistent. You're going for the top job—it's very funny! Members on this side of the House are deeply committed to building public transport that is fit for purpose for not only the people here today but also future generations. As I have said, we know the metro is a transformative project. That is why we are so excited for the redevelopment and transformation of the next stage. Government members will never, ever apologise for putting safety first, which is at the heart of how we build these projects. We want to build a transportation system that is fit for purpose and that people trust. It took years to rebuild trust after the CBD and South East Light Rail broke down.

Ms Yasmin Catley:

It got around empty.

Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL:

It got around absolutely empty. The former Government had to cut 31 bus routes to get people to start using it—fabulous! That was the only way they could people back on the light rail. The petty politics that the member for Vaucluse has brought before the House is what got the former Government voted out last year, and it is what will keep the Coalition in opposition. The member's motion shows exactly why the former Government was voted out, and that is why the Government opposes the motion.

Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore) (15:43:57):

I love how excited we all are for the magic of metro. I love that we can all join together and talk about how wonderful it is for the people of New South Wales. I congratulate the member for Vaucluse on bringing together everybody to talk about how much they love the metro. I thank the member for moving the motion today. It is people like the member for Vaucluse who understand how incredibly crucial the metro is to transforming Sydney and the lives of individuals. As a member of an electorate that has metro stations in it, I can say it is making a huge difference to people's existence.

It is often the small things that change people's lives. The other day I spoke to a person who works long hours at Barangaroo. Before the metro they had a dog walker and did not get to see their pet. Now they catch the metro home to walk their dog at lunchtime. They now get to have that experience with their dog that we all did with the RSPCA bringing in dogs at Parliament House earlier today. There are mental health benefits to having that connection with a pet. That is the type of story we hear from people about the way their lives are transformed by mass transit. We love public transport—everybody in this House loves public transport. There are very few things I like talking about more than public transport in this place.

My community is one of the highest users of public transport. I particularly rely on buses, and I have almost every single mode of public transport except light rail in my community. We love public transport and we want to see more of it. We welcome the investment in more bus services and the continued electrification of the bus fleet. We also welcome more investment in our ferries by the Government as time goes on. But I will talk about the marvel of the metro, which is a city-shaping project that will endure for decades. It is transforming Sydney. For those who have not spent much time in North Sydney, it is transforming North Sydney into a more vibrant city. Victoria Cross station in North Sydney has brought new life back to the CBD.

VicX, which is located directly above the new metro station, marks the spot for a vibrant new laneway dining hub and place for on-the-go eats. The Minister for Transport and member for Summer Hill will be thrilled to know that Marrickville Pork Roll has proved to be a massive hit every day for locals. The member for Coogee went to North Sydney to enjoy Marrickville Pork Roll. I took the Minister out for a wonderful walk to visit the different shops and businesses. We chatted to them all, which we enjoyed. We could not get Marrickville Pork Roll on the day because the queue was too long. Far too many people are excited to have Marrickville Pork Roll at VicX. The site of Victoria Cross had the largest and deepest cavern in the Sydney Metro project, with more than 5,000 workers working more than 31 metres below the ground.

The second metro station in my electorate is located at Crows Nest. It provides a seamless and efficient travel experience for commuters. Crows Nest station took more than 5,500 workers 25 metres below ground to complete the station. Incredibly, more than 126,000 bricks were hand-laid to achieve the unique exterior wall for all to see. Unfortunately, we could not hop on the Sydney Metro service as quickly as we wanted to. Labor said it was about technical issues. That was a misnomer. Technically, the Fire Brigade Employees Union had the Labor Party over a barrel. When Government members got everyone excited about the opening date of Sydney Metro and it did not happen, the metro's slogan at the time was, "Arriving soon, just don't ask when."

Labor's handling of the metro turned into a public transport version of groundhog day. Every day was the same—almost ready! Thankfully the Government finally opened the metro. I congratulate the Government on that. It was an exciting day, and it has been exciting to have the metro every day since. Commuters, families and students all love this incredible new public transport system. I welcome the Minister to visit VicX any time, particularly to experience Marrickville Pork Roll. Many thousands of people brought about the metro, and I thank every single one of them for delivering the magic of metro.

Mr WARREN KIRBY (Riverstone) (15:48:04):

I contribute to debate on the motion, introduced by the great champion of the union movement, the member for Vaucluse! She was quick to bash the unions on the Government's good-faith negotiations with the Rail, Tram, and Bus Union but was happy to pose in front of the Nurses and Midwives' Association, although not with them—as she is a strident supporter of reintroducing the wages cap on them. As the Premier highlighted yesterday, the only person she found to take a photo with was the member for Hawkesbury. Even the Premier acknowledged the previous administration for the part it played in building the metro.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

Point of order—

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Clayton Barr):

The Clerk will stop the clock.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

The member for Riverstone is speaking about nurses striking against the Government, rather than the motion about Sydney Metro. I ask that he return to the leave of the motion before the House.

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