ANOTHER WEEK – ANOTHER LEAK: INFRASTRUCTURE NSW UNHAPPY O'FARRELL TREATING THEM LIKE JOKE

MEDIA RELEASE: Friday 2 September 2011

Morale at Infrastructure NSW continues to plummet as the O'Farrell Government runs roughshod over its advice and dictates transport priorities as it alone sees fit, Shadow Minister for Transport Penny Sharpe said today.

Infrastructure NSW officials are angry they have been left with no choice but to back the North West Rail Link – even if they believe projects such as the M4 East are more important.

"It's another week, another unhappy leak at Infrastructure NSW. Barry O'Farrell is treating them with contempt," Ms Sharpe said today.

"The relationship between Infrastructure NSW and the O'Farrell Government is a bureaucratic train wreck – and getting more dysfunctional with time.

"The Premier set up Infrastructure NSW with great fanfare. He promised an independent body to oversee major transport projects and advise the Government without fear or favour.

"Now Infrastructure NSW officials are throwing up their hands and wondering why they bother when the Premier is going to dictate priorities anyway. Their independent role is ignored. Their time wasted.

"Barry O'Farrell appointed Liberal Party mates Nick Greiner and Max Moore–Wilton to Infrastructure NSW. He wasted no time giving them the green light to headline Liberal Party fundraisers – with the construction industry in attendance.

"Is Infrastructure NSW simply there for the Premier to pretend he's taking independent advice on transport while its bosses shovel money to the Liberal Party?"

RELATIONSHIP ON THE ROCKS

"They have got all these bloody press conferences on the link [yet] we don't know yet whether this is [going to cost] $12 billion, $8 billion or $10 billion."

Infrastructure NSW source on Gladys Berejiklian, quoted in Daily Telegraph, August 9, 2011

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/lack-of-locomotion-split-over-funding-route-for-the-north-west-rail-link/story-e6freuy9-1226111253567

"You talk to the NSW bureaucracy and there's clearly lots of discomfort. Unless Greiner and O'Farrell are clear about that there will be tears before bedtime."

Transport insider quoted in Sydney Morning Herald, August 22, 2011

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/double-vision-may-put-brakes-on-new-transport-plan-20110821-1j4rm.html

MEDIA CONTACT: ALAN MASCARENHAS 0408819025