media

Media Release | Monday May 6, 2013

John Robertson MP, NSW Opposition Leader
Penny Sharpe MLC, Shadow Minister for Transport

ANOTHER DAY OF CHAOS FOR CITYRAIL COMMUTERS – BEREJIKLIAN MUST APOLOGISE

Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian should apologise and take responsibility after yet another horrendous delay on the CityRail network this morning resulted in tens of thousands of commuters being late to work.

The system was thrown into chaos following a failure to finish weekend trackwork at Homebush. Trains arrived up to 30 minutes late, skipped stops and were out of timetable order – with commuters affected across the Airport and East Hills, Bankstown, Inner West, North Shore, Northern, South, Western and Blue Mountains lines.

“Minister Berejiklian should apologise and take responsibility for the latest major inconvenience that commuters suffered this morning on the rail network,” Opposition Leader John Robertson said today.

“Today tens of thousands of commuters were late to work, school and university. They missed meetings and medical appointments. They missed flights.

“People are fed up with these system meltdowns – and they’re becoming just as tired of the O’Farrell Government’s excuses.

Media release | 2 May 2013

NSW LABOR TABLES PETITION TO KEEP PROUD SCHOOLS

NSW Labor Upper House Member Penny Sharpe today tabled a petition in the NSW Parliament to keep the Proud Schools program.

The petition signed by 273 people called on the NSW Government to continue and expand the Proud Schools program to make sure young people in NSW can go to school free of discrimination.

“In 2011, Education Minister Verity Firth launched a trial of the Proud Schools program to tackle homophobia and transphobia in schools,” Ms Sharpe said.

“The Proud Schools trial has been underway in 12 schools across the state with positive results.

“When Labor launched this program, the Minister explained that following the pilot, a series of recommendations would be made for a roll-out across the state. 

“I have been pleased that the Government continued the trial.

“The question remains whether the Government will be prepared to expand the program to every school in the state.

Seven News | Sydney | 30 April 2013

Media Release | Tuesday, 30 April 2013

MAJOR SECURITY SHORTFALLS ON OUR RAIL NETWORK PUTTING COMMUTER SAFETY AT RISK

The safety of rail commuters is being put at risk with the O’Farrell Government cutting the numbers of transit officers providing security on our trains and station platforms.

A leaked document has tonight revealed that a new police transport command will not be at full strength until January 2015 – yet the O’Farrell Government plans to remove transit officers who previously provided security on our trains and station platforms by August this year.

Shadow Transport Minister Penny Sharpe said despite the Minister providing a commitment tonight to extend the presence of transit officers on our trains until December this year – a gaping hole in rail security will remain until 2015.