Transcript of media conference with Meg Brown, Shadow Minister (Labor) for Transport, and Byron Cubit, Tasmanian Branch Secretary of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, Metro Springfield Depot, 19 March 2025.
Meg Brown
I’m here today in front of Metro Tasmania with some drivers talking about Rockliff’s privatisation agenda, and how bad that will be for industry. We are in this mess because Jeremy cannot manage money, and now he’s flogging off state assets to fix a budget that he himself has wrecked.
Journalist – unidentified
Do you think this has come as a surprise to Metro that it’s potentially going to be put up for sale?
Meg Brown
We’ve seen a government critically under-fund and under support Metro Tasmanian for a long time, and right now they’re just under-funding in order to flog it off.
Journalist – unidentified
Can you tell us why privatisation is such a bad thing?
Meg Brown
We will see fares go up, routes cut and our regional communities left without reliable transport options.
Journalist – unidentified
But isn’t that a hypothetical? Couldn’t it go the other way? Could there be more resources and more money thrown in there if it was privatised?
Meg Brown
In other jurisdictions we have seen that’s not the case. We have seen that fares go up, routes are cut and that drivers and their rights are the first to go.
Journalist – unidentified
The state government keeps pointing to the massive driver shortage across the country, saying that you have to wait long time for bus services elsewhere in the country. But why is this a particular issue in Tasmania that that the Tasmanian Government needs to act on?
Meg Brown
Once again, this government has critically under-funded, under-supported and under-resourced Metro Tasmania, with the end game of selling it off in their fire sale.
Journalist – unidentified
But the reality is, we have no alternatives in terms of public transport options. We don’t have trams or trains, right? So having a strong, good, working public bus service is quite important.
Meg Brown
Yeah, absolutely. We require a strong public transport network, and that starts and ends with Metro Tasmania as the backbone of our public transport system. This government couldn’t run a chook raffle, let alone a GBE.
Journalist – unidentified
Do you know how much money might need to be invested into Metro to bring it back up to standard, where it can return those cut back services?
Meg Brown
I think starting the conversation with our drivers and with Metro Tasmania is the very first step, and making sure that implementing those routes that have been cut under this government is the first step to getting it back on track.
Journalist – unidentified
And do you think the Metro will struggle to recruit new drivers if this privatisation is on the cards? Is it creating uncertainty in the workforce?
Meg Brown
That is definitely on the cards. There is always going to be uncertainty when it comes to selling off our state assets.
Byron Cubit.
Byron Cubit
I’m the Branch Secretary of RTBU in Tasmania.We’re calling on the Rockliff government today to abandon its plans to privatise Metro and, in actual fact, abandon its plans on privatisation in general, It’s an outdated ideology that does nothing to actually address the real issues on the ground,
Journalist – Imogen Elliott
And what are Metro workers actually saying about how they feel about potential privatisation?
Byron Cubit
Quite frankly you’d struggle to find a driver that would support the idea. You know, we’ve seen time and time again on the mainland privatisation leads to service reductions, higher fares and cuts to workers pay and conditions. If you cut these drivers’ pay, you will not have a public transport system in Tasmanian.
Journalist – unidentified
We’ve heard the government blame a lack of drivers. Is that something that you guys have to deal with? Do you think that that’s an acceptable reason to blame?
Byron Cubit
Look, yes, there is absolutely a bus driver shortage. Nobody’s doubting that, but you have to address the root causes rather than just flogging off. It doesn’t make any sense to be doing that. The Liberals haven’t been speaking to us or the drivers about why there is a driver shortage.
Last year, we achieved a fair and reasonable pay rise for bus drivers. But two years ago, the government announced a range of safety improvements. They. Haven’t delivered on their commitment.
Journalist – unidentified
Do you think a reason why people aren’t being attracted to a job is because of the chance of it being privatised?
Byron Cubit
I don’t think so.
Journalist – David Killick
Can you talk us through the safety improvements that were offered and which ones have and haven’t been delivered?
Byron Cubit
When Michael Ferguson was the Transport Minister, he committed to protective screens. He committed to protective screens and transit officers. We haven’t seen either of those two years on.
Journalist – David Killick
I understand there’s been a spike of attacks on bus drivers in the last couple of weeks. Is seven or eight? around the number that we’ve had? And have they all been in Hobart?
Byron Cubit
That’s correct, there’s been a huge increase in assaults and attempted robberies out on the road. We saw a very serious attack on a bus driver on Saturday night where the bus driver was hospitalised So this is something that’s been happening. It’s something that has been continuing for a long time.
The last thing we want to do is see a death on our network. Bus drivers need to be protected, and the government would rather focus on its privatisation agenda rather than focusing on the real issues that will fix the real problems that we have.
Journalist – unidentified
How do drivers feel off the back of an attack knowing that the government is considering selling the business they work for?
Byron Cubit
It really is a joke. What you have to do is follow through on your promises. And then you look at stabilising the workforce. When people feel supported and safe, they’ll hang around.
Journalist – David Killick
Can you set a deadline for these safety improvements? They’ve been a long time coming.
Byron Cubit
We haven’t received an update on transit officers since November 2023. If we don’t hear if we don’t hear an update we will be considering some serious action.
Journalist – unidentified
Anything on the screens? Have you had anything from Metro on the screens?
Byron Cubit
Yes, the protective screens, the design has been finalised I believe they’re waiting for NHPR to give the tick of approval before they’re implemented.
Journalist – David Killick
And what sort of action would you consider? If the government doesn’t [inaudible].
Byron Cubit
Wait a week and you’ll find out
Tasmanian Times
From memory an updated ticketing system is also a few years overdue. So given all that you’ve said, how would you rate this government out of 10 on its commitment to public transport?
Byron Cubit
Well, you have to deliver on your commitments. If I could put it – I’m not going to put a number on it – you know, we need a government in place that is committed to public transport, that’s committed to keeping public transport in public hands, focusing on the issues that are associated with public transport out on the road, protecting drivers’ safety. And then you have a government that’s worthwhile voting for.
Journalist – unidentified
Is it the perception among the workforce that this service is being driven into the ground so it could be sold off in a fire sale?
Byron Cubit
Absolutely. The discussion has been for, you know, the better part of five or more years. We can’t get good pay rises because the government is looking to sell it off. That’s been something we’ve been talking about for a very long time. It’s clear that it’s been a deliberate strategy. They’ve got to abandon the plans and focus on the real issues.
Journalist – unidentified
There are other bus operators, I feel like they’re trying to hint that those other bus operators might be interested in buying Metro. Do you happen to have any information as to whether Kinetic might be willing to buy it up?
Byron Cubit
I think kinetic has made its position pretty clear about what it would like to do, but you’ve got to understand that they’ve been privatising the smaller bus operators in this state. So we’re talking about a private monopoly over community service. Absolutely not.
Journalist – unidentified
Do you have a number of how many bus runs being canned or delayed in a day? Like how dire is that?
Byron Cubit
It’s up to the Department of State growth to set the timetable, to set the runs. And the timetable is unrealistic. That’s why services are running late.
Journalist – unidentified
And drivers are still copping it, obviously, worse than before.
Byron Cubit
You know, it’s the bus drivers that are the front line staff. They’re going to cop the abuse from the passengers who feel frustrated about a lack of reliable services. That’s not good enough. Bus drivers need to be protected, it’s as simple as that.
Helen Burnet MP, Greens Transport Spokesperson, 19 March 2025
Greens support union’s calls to rule out Metro privatisation
The Greens support the Rail, Tram and Bus Union’s calls for the Liberal Government to abandon their ill-conceived privatisation plan of Metro Tasmania.
This morning on my bus commute into Hobart, the bus was jam-packed with commuters. Reinstating services, providing upgrades promised by Minister Abetz and showing some love for Metro should be a priority for the Rockliff Government, rather than flogging it off to the highest bidder.
Public transport is a fundamental service that Tasmanians expect the government to provide. The Liberals shouldn’t be selling off Tasmania’s public assets to paper over their budget issues.
Last week the Greens met with the Bus Union where concerns were raised about conditions, and ways of improving conditions were explored. This week, I have written to Transport Minister Abetz asking him how he can improve bus services and conditions for drivers.
In other jurisdictions like South Australia and Victoria, it is clear that privatising services only leads to worse outcomes and higher costs. Is this what Minister Abetz really wants for Tasmanians in a cost-of-living crisis?
The Greens understand the fundamental duty of government to provide cost-effective public transport for Tasmanians. The Liberals must rule out privatising Metro, and instead commit to the improvements necessary to ensure Tasmanians continue to benefit from this important service.
