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Northern Beaches Bus Services

Published on: March 2026

Record: HANSARD-1323879322-163437

Northern Beaches Bus Services

Mr MICHAEL REGAN (Wakehurst) (17:01:07):

I move:

That this House:

(1)Notes the reliance of northern beaches residents on buses for public transport.

(2)Acknowledges the persistent unreliability of bus services on the northern beaches, with cut timetables, daily cancellations of scheduled routes and buses often driving past bus stops already full or overcrowded.

(3)Notes the former Coalition Government signed poorly drafted contracts for the former Sydney bus regions that do not sufficiently penalise underperformance.

(4)Welcomes the Labor Government's order of 50 articulated buses and 10 decker buses in the last budget, as a direct result of advocacy by local Independent members—one of many wins for Independent members over the past three years.

(5)Calls on the New South Wales Government to implement the recommendations from the 2024 NSW Bus Industry Taskforce.

(6)Acknowledges there is more to do and urges the New South Wales Government to keep working with me to restore bus capacity and reliability on the northern beaches.

At the 2023 State election, as I shifted my focus from local government issues in my role as mayor to the responsibilities of State government, there was one issue that stood out clearly for the people of Wakehurst—the capacity and reliability of bus services on the northern beaches. Since then, it has remained one of the most consistent issues raised with my electorate office. Tens of thousands of people rely on buses every single day on the northern beaches. It is not a marginal service; it is the backbone of how our community gets around. From day one as the member for Wakehurst, I have been raising this directly with the transport Minister and the local operator, Keolis.

From my regular queries to the Minister's office, I know that the number of daily cancellations fluctuates depending on driver availability. However, on most days, at least 30 services are cancelled and often between 30 and 100 services that are cancelled at short notice. This is despite the fact that timetabled services have already been reduced from the originally agreed service levels. People plan their days around these buses—getting to work, school, medical appointments and child care—only to wake up and find that the service they depend on has been cancelled. Plans fall apart and stress builds. It is like whack‑a‑mole—improving one route often comes at the expense of another. The underlying issue is clear: There are simply not enough drivers, and something has to give.

Most recently, I have been hearing from residents in Allambie Heights. Their message is clear and consistent: The northern beaches relies on buses as its primary form of public transport. There is no rail line, no tram network and limited parking options for those commuting to the CBD. As one constituent put it, "Bus services are not supplementary—they are the only practical option for many residents". I would say most residents. They continued, "When services are reduced or unreliable, there is no alternative to absorb the impact." Residents have told me that services such as the 174X and 142 have become less frequent, less reliable and significantly more crowded. People are being left behind at bus stops because buses are already full. Others are forced to endure long, uncomfortable commutes just to get to work—like me this morning. Their experience is backed by the data.

There was some improvement for region 8 between March 2023 and March 2024, with reductions in cancellations and driver vacancies. However, over the past two years the driver shortages have remained persistent, ranging from 18 to 39. At the same time, cancelled and incomplete services have increased from 1.18 per cent in March 2024 to 4.29 per cent in December 2025. Bus unreliability on the northern beaches has been ongoing since the former Government privatised the Sydney bus regions, including region 8 in October 2021. The Bus Industry Taskforce, which is made up of experienced transport experts, found that during this process the former Government accepted low‑cost bids that undermined the sustainability of the industry and damaged its reputation.

The contracts themselves are flawed. By prioritising on‑time running key performance indicators, they created a perverse incentive: It can be better for an operator to cancel a service than to run late. At the same time, the contracts failed to properly address workforce planning, even though driver availability is the key risk in maintaining service reliability. The former Coalition Government locked in those contracts and the people of the northern beaches are now living with the consequences. As we look ahead to the expiry and renewal of the contracts in 2029, there are important lessons to be learned. But right now the priority must be restoring service capacity and reliability.

This is particularly urgent given the population growth expected in our area through low‑ and mid‑rise housing reforms and new developments proposed under the Housing Delivery Authority. How can we accommodate this growth when our only form of public transport is already stretched and unreliable? Since being elected, I have consistently raised this issue—and we have made some progress. Fleet capacity is no longer the primary constraint. The new zero‑emissions buses operating out of Brookvale and the return of repaired bendy buses mean that we now have the physical capacity to run more services. The procurement of 10 new double‑deckers for the B‑Line and 50 additional articulated buses for across the region mean there is additional capacity on the horizon. But buses do not drive themselves.

The single biggest constraint on service reliability today is the chronic shortage of bus drivers. The local operator has not been able to recruit and retain the workforce needed to meet demand. We need to be clear about this: Bus drivers need to be paid more. New South Wales drivers are among the lowest paid in the country, despite Sydney being the most expensive city to live in. Wages growth has not kept pace with inflation, making the job less attractive over time. The taskforce identified that a wage subsidy could play an important role in recognising the value of bus drivers and improving recruitment and retention. I strongly support this and believe it should be included in the Government's workforce strategy. But pay alone is not enough. Bus drivers also need somewhere to live, and on the northern beaches that is a major challenge.

Housing is expensive, and we need targeted solutions to ensure that drivers can live and work in the communities they serve. I have been consistently raising with the Government the fact that bus drivers must be included—and prioritised—in affordable and essential worker housing programs. I am also advocating for a large percentage of dedicated essential worker housing as part of the development of the new Frenchs Forest Town Centre. This is a work in progress. The Bus Industry Taskforce delivered 58 recommendations across three reports, with its final report handed to the Government in May 2024. The central recommendation was the development of a funded statewide Medium Term Bus Service Plan to guide investment in services and infrastructure. For the northern beaches, a key priority must be the Dee Why to Chatswood rapid bus corridor.

The taskforce also recommended a comprehensive workforce strategy to support the plan. Recommendation 17 is particularly important because it calls on the Government to lift the reputation and remuneration of drivers. We need immediate and targeted interventions for routes that are under the most pressure right now, including, but not limited to, those serving Allambie Heights. I have also raised these issues directly with Keolis and Transport for NSW. At the same time, we need a clear and comprehensive plan to restore, maintain, and grow bus services over the medium and long term. That means implementing the recommendations of the taskforce in full.

A reliable and effective bus network is essential for keeping the northern beaches moving and connected. I say to the people of the northern beaches that I want them to know this issue is always front of mind for me. Whether I am actually on the B‑Line, catching the 160X or meeting with the Minister or the operator, it is front of mind. I commend the motion to the House.

Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL (Coogee) (17:07:55):

I state clearly at the outset that the Government supports the motion moved by the member for Wakehurst. We support the motion because I have experienced exactly the same things described by the member for Wakehurst. What we are talking about are not nebulous concepts; they are incredibly real. When people are left behind because of bus unreliability, kids do not turn up to school and people cannot get to their friends and families. As the member for Wakehurst said, the reality for communities on the northern beaches is that buses are not just part of their public transport system; they are the absolute backbone of it.

The concerns that have been raised in the motion and in this debate around cancellations, reliability and full buses are real and they deserve to be taken very seriously. The thing is that, if we are serious about improving reliability, we also need to be incredibly honest about the structural issues that underpin it. The former Coalition Government privatised large parts of the metropolitan bus network and locked us into contracts that were very clearly not fit for purpose. They were contacts that did not—

Ms Felicity Wilson:

You're re-signing those contracts.

Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL:

Your Government did this. You should be deeply ashamed of it every time you get up in this place.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Alex Greenwich):

Order! The member for North Shore will come to order. She will have an opportunity to contribute to debate. I ask the member for Coogee to direct her remarks through the Chair.

Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL:

I cannot believe the hypocrisy of those opposite. They signed the contracts and we have to live with them. I get it; they do it all the time. The contracts did not sufficiently penalise underperformance, did not properly incentivise reliability and in some cases had the perverse effect of making services easier to cancel than to run. That has led to very real outcomes for people in the northern beaches, but it is not happening only there. It is happening in the eastern suburbs of Sydney and Newcastle as well, all because of the actions of the former Government.

Although the Government has inherited this situation, it is getting on with fixing the fundamentals of our bus network. The first of those is the fleet. Since coming to office, the Minns Labor Government has purchased more than 920 new buses across New South Wales—a major capacity uplift—because the fleet did not keep pace with demand. Importantly, it is not just about replacing our ageing vehicles. The Government is increasing the capacity on roads where passengers need it the most. We have invested $56 million in 50 new articulated buses. To be clear, no new bendy buses were ordered in the 12 years those opposite were in government. To put that into context, in the past year and a half, 83 bendy buses had to be taken out of service because of the mismanagement of the contracts by those opposite.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Alex Greenwich):

Order! I call the member for North Shore to order for the second time. I encourage the member to help herself to stay in the Chamber. The member for Coogee has the call.

Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL:

The hypocrisy of those opposite is unbelievable. They created this mess and they are living with it now. They run campaigns against it, but they are the ones that signed the contracts. They did not run any recruitment campaigns or order any new buses. We had to take 83 bendy buses out of service because of their mismanagement—but I digress. A fleet alone is not enough; we also need more services. In the last budget, the Government committed $452 million over four years to expand the bus services, including $150 million to increase frequency and $18 million to improve driver facilities. Through targeted recruitment campaigns, the 500 bus driver vacancies across the network that we inherited have been reduced to 160. However, there is much more to do because, as I said, we inherited an absolute mess. The Government supports the motion of the member for Wakehurst and will continue to work through the issues with him. Of the 83 recommendations put forward by the taskforce, 31 have already been fulfilled. The Government will continue to work to improve bus services in the electorate of Wakehurst.

Mr JAMES GRIFFIN (Manly) (17:13:07):

I contribute to debate on the motion moved by the member for Wakehurst. I move:

That the motion be amended by omitting paragraphs (3) to (6) and inserting instead:

(3)Notes the former New South Wales Liberal-Nationals Government built the B-Line route services in the Northern Beaches.

(4)Calls on the Minns Labor Government to support fare-free travel on public transport over the Easter long weekend, benefiting residents of the northern beaches and all of New South Wales.

From the outset, I acknowledge that my remarks are not a reflection on the good work of the people of Keolis, whether the bus drivers themselves, the people in the depot or the people in the office. Indeed, they experience the blowback of the challenges that northern beaches and North Shore residents face on the buses, just like our electorate officers up and down the peninsula. This public interest debate teaches us a lesson about the political hypocrisy that, at its heart, impacts the daily lives of people trying to get to work, appointments and important meetings. It is also a lesson in the dangers of election candidates campaigning at bus stops in Manly and telling frustrated commuters that they can fix the problem, yet here we are three years later. The bus problem hurts my community, and I have some feedback to illustrate that. Katherine from North Balgowlah wrote:

People in this community can never rely on these services to be on time or even show up. When you're juggling kids and a job in the city, it's an absolute disaster. We deserve better.

Stephen from North Balgowlah wrote:

How is this allowed? We have no other transport options here. It's 7.50am and I have no idea if the subsequent buses are actually coming and whether I'll have a seat. Last week I had to wait for 1 hr 15mins as other buses were full.

Prema from Manly Vale wrote:

I rely on this service to get my two primary-aged children to and from Manly Vale Public School from outside my office at Allambie. There are many other children and families affected.

Finally, Emily from Balgowlah wrote:

As a Northern Beaches to North Sydney commuter, I'm writing in total desperation. I cannot get to work. I am currently in line with over a hundred other aspiring commuters at Manly Vale, and we need your help. No one deserves to be waiting in line for hours every morning. This has to end.

I have received that feedback over the past couple of months. I am sorry that Katherine, Stephen, Prema and Emily find themselves in those situations. Like thousands of other commuters from Manly to Palm Beach to Mosman and beyond, they have had had enough. They have had enough of the excuses. They just want action. Let's cut through it. As was said earlier, if the Government thinks the decision to franchise the bus network is the underlying cause of the problems on the northern beaches then it should cancel the contract. If it cannot do that, why not appropriately penalise underperformance? Do it tomorrow—cancel the contract. Why does the Government not make good on the promises it made while campaigning before the election? Maybe it is like the region 6 bus contract. It was railed against by Government members when they were in opposition and, to the shock and horror of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, the contract was extended last year.

People want this Government to get out of the perpetual loop it is stuck in. It deflects blame onto the previous Government for what has been happening in the three years since it has been in office, never taking responsibility for what is happening in the community right now. Commuters have had a gutful. They have sat through the theatre of bus forums and the Bus Industry Taskforce, which was sold as a solution to all their questions. They have been told to be patient because it was all the former Government's fault. They have been told that the new electric buses will help. They have been told gleefully at very important ministerial press conferences that the reintroduction of articulated buses, which are yet to appear on the northern beaches, will help. All of that is cold comfort for the likes of Katherine, who is juggling kids. None of that is solving the problem for Prema, who works in Allambie. Government members tooling around Brookvale Bus Depot taking credit for the Coalition's electric buses and having the arrogance to not even invite the local MP is not working for Emily from Balgowlah. It is not doing a thing to help fix her bus service. All they want is for the buses to turn up, but that is not happening.

The motion references the 2024 Bus Industry Taskforce and its recommendations. We have just heard that there are 28 still to be implemented. Let's hope those 28 make a difference, because nothing has helped to date. From 2017 the previous Government made steady investments, from the B-Line to commuter car parks and Keoride—you name it. But the people of the northern beaches have seen nothing since then. The Government has the power to change the timetable and adjust the routes. It has the power to work with the operator. On behalf of the thousands of commuters impacted daily—who have been patient for three years now—no matter whose fault it is, I say enough is enough. The Government campaigned on this issue. It is time to fix it.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Alex Greenwich):

I welcome to the gallery Mayor of Wollondilly Matt Gould, CEO Ben Taylor and manager Stephen Gardiner. I hope they are enjoying the public interest debate.

Mr NATHAN HAGARTY (Leppington) (17:18:17):

I also welcome our visitors from Wollondilly. I note that the mayor is not wearing his hat. It is probably because his head is throbbing with pain after listening to the rubbish from those opposite. I have never seen him without his hat—that is how serious it has got today. I strongly support the motion of the member for Wakehurst. I too made the transition from local government to State government, for much the same reasons he did. As he said, it was because we were frustrated with the lack of services, the lack of action and the way it was affecting our constituents. One way to fix that was to get into State Parliament, get rid of the mob opposite and start fixing some of the problems.

Much like the member for Wakehurst, I have a big problem in my area with a lack of bus services. Leppington is a growing area and, for 12 years, those opposite neglected every local service and piece of infrastructure. We did not see the promised bus services. We did not see new buses. I could tell story after story of kids being left on the kerb. I took countless calls from parents who said their school was served by only one bus when the school population had grown by 300 per cent. Little Jimmy, Timmy and Kimmy were left on the kerb because the buses were full, but members opposite did not put on additional buses. They might think this is a joke, but they should speak to the parents who were worried sick and could not get their kids on a bus because members opposite failed to fund bus services in south-west Sydney. It is an absolute disgrace. I pick up on the issue of bus contracts raised by the member for Coogee.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

Point of order—

Mr NATHAN HAGARTY:

There was an Audit Office of New South Wales report—

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Alex Greenwich):

The Clerk will stop the clock. The member for North Shore rises on a point of order.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

The member for Leppington is focusing his contribution on south-western Sydney bus services. The motion is about northern beaches bus services. I ask that the member be brought back to the motion before the House.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Alex Greenwich):

There is no point of order. The member's comments are in the context of the public interest debate. I remind the member for North Shore that she is on two calls to order and wishes to contribute to the debate. The member for Leppington will be heard without interruption.

Mr NATHAN HAGARTY:

Let us talk about bus contracts. The audit report was about bus contracts right across our great State and the northern beaches is part of the State, so I do not know what the member for North Shore is banging on about. Thank you for correcting her, Mr Temporary Speaker. In relation to this Government and fixing issues with the buses, I am sure the people of the northern beaches will be excited to know that Singapore Airlines announced yesterday that it will start selling tickets for flights leaving Western Sydney airport in November. People can get to the airport on the new buses—which we funded to the tune of $300 million plus—from Leppington, Liverpool, Campbelltown and St Marys.

Mr Adam Crouch:

Point of order—

Mr NATHAN HAGARTY:

People just have to take the train to Penrith or St Marys and catch those buses.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Alex Greenwich):

The Clerk will stop the clock. The member for Terrigal rises on a point of order.

Mr Adam Crouch:

My point of order is taken under Standing Order 129. The second airport is nowhere near the northern beaches.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Alex Greenwich):

There is no point of order. The member for Leppington has been relevant to the public interest debate. I encourage Opposition members to read the motion of the member for Wakehurst. It is not just about the northern beaches; it goes to governance issues under the former Coalition Government. The member for Leppington will be heard without interruption unless there is a valid point of order.

Mr NATHAN HAGARTY:

An earlier speaker mentioned region 6 buses and the two-year contract extension. That happened so all the bus contracts aligned, which put the Government in a better negotiating position. Members opposite would not know anything about that because they left behind a series of contract landmines. They flogged off the buses—privatised them—and now they expect the Government to tear up the contracts. That is not going to happen. It is fiscally irresponsible. But of course we hear that from members opposite, who left this Government with a debt and deficit bomb. In the same way we are cleaning up after the debt and deficit bomb, we are fixing buses right across New South Wales—in Leppington, Campbelltown and, of course, on the northern beaches.

This is a fantastic motion, and I commend the member for Wakehurst for moving it. In the 2025-26 budget alone, we committed $452 million for new buses right across the State. That includes $150 million to increase the frequency of school services and routes in fast-growing areas. That will be great news for the parents of little Jimmy, Timmy and Kimmy because it means that my area of Leppington will have more school buses and people will not be left on the kerb. Members opposite cannot seem to get their heads around the fact that the problems we have fixed and are fixing on the northern beaches exist across the State. We are fixing them because this Government understands that buses are an important part of our transport network. As a frequent bus traveller, I could not be more excited to see more bendy buses.

Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore) (17:24:50):

I welcome this public interest debate. Members know that my community and I love our buses. We just wish we had more of them—more reliably and more frequently. They appear on apps but do not turn up in our streets. The substance of the motion moved by the member for Wakehurst is incredibly welcome to those of us who use bus services in the shared region of the northern beaches and the North Shore, because every bus to the city that comes from Wakehurst travels through my community. We know that corridor is particularly important for transport. It is an area where there are not a lot of public transport alternatives and we want to ensure that people use public transport.

The motion of the member for Wakehurst is correct. We are seeing daily cancellations, buses not turning up and people left waiting on the street, particularly schoolkids who cannot get to and from school because of failed bus services in our community. I note that we have been talking about this for almost three years. The Labor Government has had its hands on the tiller for three full years, but the contributions from members opposite—who live nowhere near our region and do not even seem to know where the northern beaches are—is self‑congratulatory. I do not understand why the member for Leppington constantly wants to talk about south‑western Sydney when, for once, we are talking about communities on the northern beaches and the North Shore that are impacted by the region's bus services.

This Labor Government is all talk. It congratulates itself, but it will not do anything to deliver outcomes for our communities. It has kicked the can down the road. The Bus Industry Taskforce was instituted in 2023—three years ago this year—and reported in 2024. But the Government still has not enacted outcomes that make a difference for our community. Yet again, buses have been cancelled in my community today and people have been left stranded. As the member for Wakehurst said, we have seen the contraction of routes and the reduction of services on those routes in order to stabilise and smooth out the operations of the network. Even with our communities making those sacrifices, the Government has failed to improve or repair services for them.

We are seeing a fascinating exercise in political gymnastics in this Chamber. Labor claims it is fixing the mess left by the Liberal-Nationals Government—a mess that I am not sure existed when we were in government. If we had problems in my community with buses on Military Road, why have they been exacerbated since Labor came to power? We also see political gymnastics from the Independents in this place, who go along with Labor's self-congratulatory behaviour—which is disappointing because they said they would do politics differently—and say they have succeeded in achieving outcomes for our community. I say to the member for Wakehurst the contradiction in his motion is that he says he has achieved bus service improvements for his community but we still see cancellations and delays every day. What is the truth?

Under the Labor Government, we constantly see delays, cancellations and the degradation of our public transport services and delivery. Labor loves to point back to 2021. The franchise contract for our region was signed five years ago. But the Minns Labor Government has had three years of failed management of the contract, and the situation has only gotten worse. If the Government has a problem with the franchise—or, as the Government calls it, privatisation—why did it sign a franchise contract just last year? Labor has become the architect of bus privatisation in New South Wales. The dotted line for privatising bus services in this State has the Labor Government's signature on it. If Labor cannot own that and deliver better services and outcomes, it should rip up those contracts.

But the contracts have the capacity to ensure that we manage bus services because the New South Wales Government still owns the depots. It still owns the buses. It still determines the routes. The New South Wales Government has all the mechanisms to ensure that our bus services are being delivered according to contract, but it has failed to manage the contract. Why point fingers and blame others? Instead of three long years of Labor members constantly harking back to the past and complaining, they should do something about the situation. They have their hands on the tiller. They can achieve outcomes for the people of the State, but they refuse to do so. Why is that? It is because Labor does not care about the people of our region. Labor plays postcode politics and puts bus services in areas where it is in charge.

Dr Marjorie O'Neill:

Point of order—

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Alex Greenwich):

The Clerk will stop the clock. The member for Coogee rises on a point of order.

Dr Marjorie O'Neill:

The member for North Shore is misleading the House. The New South Wales Labor Government did the Unsworth review, which is more than the former Government did in 12 years.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Alex Greenwich):

There is no point of order. The member for North Shore has the call.

Ms FELICITY WILSON:

The best thing to happen to bus services in our community was under the Coalition Government: the B-Line. The bus taskforce said that we need more B-Line buses, and the Government has done nothing in those years. The member for Wakehurst and I are on a unity ticket in enjoying our B-Line services.

Interruption.

[]

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Alex Greenwich):

I call the member for North Shore to order for the third time.

Ms JACQUI SCRUBY (Pittwater) (17:30:41):

Given nature of the debate today, I start by saying that the people of the northern beaches do not care whose fault it is. They do not care whether the fault is with the previous Government, the current Government or with me. No-one cares; they just want their buses to run on time. I appreciate that there is nuance and that we need to look at specific issues to determine how to carve a path forward and have more buses running on time. I will share some feedback I recently received, which was in addition to a survey that I ran. I acknowledge that when I was elected—only a little over a year ago—I walked into what anyone would call a bus crisis. It was a crisis because of the 43 bendy buses that were taken off the road, which completely disabled people on the northern beaches from accessing public transport. At that time, I remember people telling me that they were literally thinking of moving because they could not get into the city on public transport and they thought it was not a viable place to live.

I am a bit different from the member for Wakehurst and other members who have spoken in the debate in that I am specifically focused on the north of the north. The issues with our buses are slightly different to those mentioned by the member for Wakehurst. We only have one direct line, the 190X, that goes from the north of the north all the way into the city. From a first principles perspective, looking over time, we originally had the L90 many years ago. Granted, it was called the "Hell 90", and it was a very long commute to the city, but it was a direct route that ran at all times. When I say "all times", we are not in London and it was not 24/7, but it ran for the majority of the day, seven days a week. We then had the E88, which was a loved service. We then got the 190X, which is direct to the city and runs a very efficient route, but only during peak hours.

The problem is that we cannot get to the city on the 190X outside peak hours. We need to get off and swap, and it is a nightmare. However, there are still cancellations. Recently, due to continual cancellations of the 190X, the service was dropped by 25 per cent. It had already dropped to peak hours, and then it further dropped by 25 per cent. The types of comments I am getting at the moment include, "The 190X service from Wynyard is absolutely pathetic," "Today we waited 40 minutes," "It needs to run more," "I have young adults going to the city. They can't get home," "It's a shocker, to be sure," "Jacqui Scruby, you've done a great job to get attention onto the service," and, "Jacqui Scruby, it is chronic, I can assure you. I use this service all the time and they never run on time." One particular commuter said that if the 6.38 a.m. bus is late, the next one is not until 7.00 a.m. She needs one particular service back. I think it is the 6.18 a.m. bus from Newport.

There is a lot of feedback about the 190X service. From a first principles point of view, people want to get from the north of the north to the city at all times of the day. However, I did come to Parliament during a bus crisis, and I give full credit to the Government for working with me, the member for Wakehurst and the other members who have contributed to debate, including the member for Manly and the member for North Shore. The Government has consulted with us. I know there has been a huge investment, with 10 new B1s on the way. The 43 bendy buses are finally back. We have new electric buses, regardless of who started that off. However, we face a chronic bus driver shortage, and that is the limiting factor at the moment.

While I came in during the bus crisis, I also came into a whole lot of crises, including the crisis with the Northern Beaches Hospital. When I reflect on how those problems came about, a lot of the time the answer is that it was due to privatisation. There are issues with the quality of the contracts and the management of the contracts. With buses, that is also a nightmare. Recommendation 6 of the bus taskforce was that if the private operator in region 8 demonstrably fails to meet contractual obligations—and we heard from the member for Wakehurst that instead of running late, it is easier to cancel the service, which leads to all the cancellations—then it could be terminated. I put the contractor on notice, if they are listening, that the contract will be reviewed in 2030.

The people of the northern beaches expect a private company that signs an agreement to deliver on that agreement. They also expect—as we have seen with the hospital—that the Government will work with the private contractor to deliver it. We need to fix the bus driver shortage. Everyone needs to get on with it. Currently the average bus driver is a 67-year-old male. We need to target new audiences. Dare I say it, get an e‑bike and a surfboard and convince a younger demographic to drive buses.

Mrs JUDY HANNAN (Wollondilly) (17:35:54):

I acknowledge in the gallery the Mayor of Wollondilly, along with the CEO and a long-time planner from Wollondilly. We wish we had a bus crisis; we wish we had some buses! I contribute to the public interest debate and begin by acknowledging the contribution of the member for Wakehurst. I congratulate the member on his sustained advocacy for his area. Public transport is not just a convenience; it is a fundamental service that connects people to jobs, education, health care and community life. He has advocated very hard. Hopefully he will get additional buses and services for the Wakehurst electorate. It demonstrates what a local member who champions the needs of their community can do.

Increasing bus seating capacity with larger buses, more frequent services, better coverage and improved reliability will make a real difference to people's daily lives, and the member deserves recognition for those outcomes. However, I contrast that progress with the reality faced in the electorate of Wollondilly. I emphasise that the Wollondilly electorate is in the Sydney metro area and has a land area the size of Belgium. In Wollondilly, public transport is not just under strain; in many areas, it is simply inadequate or even non-existent. While members are blaming each other, I note that under previous governments we were delivered bus stops in development areas, but no buses.

While some communities enjoy an expansion of services, many of our towns and villages are left behind. Entire communities have little or no access to bus services on weekends. That means families, young people and older residents are effectively cut off from essential services and social opportunities for at least two days every week. That is not a minor inconvenience; it is a significant barrier to participation in modern life. For those who rely on public transport, the situation is even more challenging. Our train services, which should act as a backbone for connectivity, are frankly abysmal. That is when we actually get bus services: The bus services have to be brought in because the trains have broken down. Commuters in Wollondilly face many delays.

The contrast between electorates is stark. While members argue about their bus services, they should remember that some populations have no services. Public transport investment must be equitable. It cannot be determined solely by geography or population density. Regional and peri-urban communities like Wollondilly deserve the same level of consideration and commitment as metropolitan areas. While I commend the member for Wakehurst for his advocacy and achievements, I also call on the Government to turn its attention to communities like mine to ensure that Wollondilly is not left behind as it has been under previous governments. We need reliable, frequent public transport. It should not be a privilege; it should be a guarantee for every single community.

Ms KOBI SHETTY (Balmain) (17:39:13):

By leave: I appreciate the advocacy of the Independent northern beaches members about the clear failure of bus privatisation on the northern beaches. The severity of those problems has been well ventilated in the media. We have also had significant problems with buses in my electorate in the inner west. It is clear from the debate today that across Sydney, some members are struggling to get any public transport services at all; others are lucky enough to have a good, robust bus network. The inner west is very similar to the northern beaches in that we have some ferries and a light rail that we can sometimes depend on. But we lack access to the metro at the moment and we do not have any trains. We are very reliant on the bus network as well.

Reliable public transport is not a luxury. Particularly now that there is a fuel crisis, it is really important that we have good public transport services and that our buses run well, because so many people rely on them. To be honest, I have given up on catching the bus. I have taken to my electric bicycle—which is legal—to get myself into the city because the bus that I used to catch, the 437 from Lilyfield, is now so unreliable. I continue to hear from lots of members of the community about that bus. Kids at Sydney Secondary College have to catch the 501 to get themselves to school. They have to travel quite a distance. It is not a local school; it is down the road from Parliament House. I frequently hear from parents, and have for many years now, that those services are cancelled so consistently that kids are often turning up late. The principal of Sydney Secondary College Balmain Campus has appealed to me again and again about getting the 501 bus fixed, because a whole cohort of kids from Pyrmont and Ultimo are frequently turning up late to school.

We need to sort out those bus services. I bring it back to privatisation. I appreciate that that is part of the motion. We can talk about increasing the number of buses and dealing with the bus driver shortage, but a lot of the problems started when the bus services were privatised. My area is served by region 6, the region we have talked about at length, in which the bus contracts were re-signed. That is the region affecting my community. We were very hopeful that our region 6 bus services would be brought back into public ownership when the contracts expired, and everyone is pretty disappointed that those contracts have been extended for a couple of years. I hope that what I am hearing from the Government is that it will look to renationalise those buses when the opportunity arises and the two-year extension is finished.

When those bus contracts came in, suddenly stops were removed and services were cancelled. There has been so much talk about the contracts allowing the operators to cancel buses without being penalised. It was easier for them to cancel the bus services than to run late. I acknowledge that the Government has done a great deal to increase and improve the existing services but, until we see those buses brought back into public ownership, the system is not prioritising the right things or focusing on service to the community as it needs to. We need a publicly owned bus network, and in region 6 we are desperate to see that happen.

I was very disappointed when I asked the Premier last year about plans to end privatisation. Before the Labor Government was elected, he talked a lot about the problems with private bus companies and with privatisation. But those contracts were extended and, when I asked a question about that, the Premier talked about how the Government wished buses had never been privatised in the first place. That is fair enough, but other Labor governments, like the one in South Australia, have brought rail networks back into public hands. That can happen in this State as well. Whilst the Government is doing work to try to improve the bus services, the problems continue, and we want to see those buses brought back into public hands. I commend the northern beaches members again for their good work in bringing this issue to the Chamber.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

Thank you.

Ms KOBI SHETTY:

You're not on the northern beaches. I commend this public interest debate motion. We definitely need to see those buses brought back into public ownership.

Mr MICHAEL REGAN (Wakehurst) (17:44:18):

In reply: I thank the member for Coogee and the member for Manly for their excellent contributions. I recognise the impatience of the member for Manly and I share it. I suggest to the member for North Shore that both parts of the motion can be true in that the investment in fleet addresses the medium‑term fleet risk, and the driver shortages have not been addressed. That is the contradiction she spoke about. That is exactly why we are calling this out today. The former Coalition Government did the people of the northern beaches—and, from what we are hearing, the wider Sydney area—a disservice by locking in those types of contracts. That is why I have called it out. I want the Coalition to admit its error and work with me and the Government to support this change. Let us have the Parliamentary Friends of Buses. Wouldn't that be novel? We could agree to work with each other and not attack the Treasurer and get stuff done.

Mr Warren Kirby:

We'll be driving them, mate.

Mr MICHAEL REGAN:

Soon I might have to.

Mr Nathan Hagarty:

I am happy to co-chair.

Mr MICHAEL REGAN:

Excellent. I sincerely thank members for their contributions. I thank the members representing the electorates of Balmain, Wollondilly, Pittwater, Leppington and North Shore. The population of the northern beaches is approximately 280,000 people. There are three MPs plus the member for Davidson, whose electorate covers a small portion. From Dee Why to Wynyard is a 20-kilometre stretch of bus routes. It takes 45 to 60 minutes on a bus in peak hour. From Wynyard to Parramatta on a train is 23 kilometres and takes 30 minutes. The amendment to the motion about free travel on public transport over Easter is more of a stunt. I know there have been press releases about it. I wish it was not part of this motion and I hope we do not divide on it. However, it is what it is. The former Coalition Government delivered the B-Line. I was one of the many architects. It was not just me; many mayors and staff put that together for the former Treasurer to make it happen. He did, and that was a great outcome, but there was no long-term investment.

Now we see buses doing over 100,000 kilometres per year and failing, with no plan to fix it. The Government has put forward 10 new double-deckers—with a plan for more—and additional bendy buses, which I commend. Yes, the Government has delivered the electric bus fleet—brilliant, but see my previous point. The contracts are rubbish, with perverse outcomes and key performance indicators. I would love to be able to cancel the contracts like we did with the Northern Beaches Hospital, but they are written in such a way that it is impossible and hugely expensive, and there is no money in the budget to do that. We know the reasons and I do not want to go on an attack about that. The Minister told me that the bus plan and the workforce strategy will be submitted to the Government in the second half of this year. I hope it comes sooner and I will be paying close attention, as I know others who have contributed to this debate will be. Can we just get it done and, please, can we not divide on everything? I thank all members very much for their contributions, and I look forward to their support of the motion.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Alex Greenwich):

The member for Wakehurst has moved a motion, to which the member for Manly has moved an amendment. The question is that the amendment be agreed to.

The House divided.

Ayes32

Noes49

Majority17

Amendment negatived.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Alex Greenwich):

The question now is that the motion as moved by the member for Wakehurst be agreed to.

Motion agreed to.