1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:01,800 Speaker 1: Now, last week on the show, you would have heard 2 00:00:01,840 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: us speaking with the Transport Workers Union about the calls 3 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,720 Speaker 1: really for some change when it comes to what is 4 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:12,080 Speaker 1: going on on our bus network. We've spoken about a 5 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: female bus driver being assaulted in what was a pretty 6 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: terrible situation. Now joining me on the line right now 7 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: is Ian Smith from the Transport Workers Union. Good morning 8 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:22,600 Speaker 1: to you, Ian. 9 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:24,079 Speaker 2: Good morning here. 10 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 1: You going not too bad now? Ian, I know that 11 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: the Transport Workers Union really has amped up these calls 12 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 1: for some urgent government action to address the safety crisis, 13 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:38,519 Speaker 1: which you say is englfing the Darwin bus network. 14 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 2: Certainly, certainly is. This is out of control and we 15 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:46,160 Speaker 2: need to address it and we need to dress it now. 16 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:50,480 Speaker 2: So you know, our survey results just don't get any better, 17 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 2: they continue to get worse. When seventy five percent of 18 00:00:55,880 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 2: people don't feel safe at work, I think that's just 19 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 2: completely unacceptable, and one or two people of the drivers 20 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 2: reported to us and then isn't consultable. Totally unacceptable. So 21 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 2: we need to come up with a plan and we 22 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 2: need to fix the talkings. Okay, that's not fixing anything. 23 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,399 Speaker 2: We need some real action and some real plans. So 24 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 2: we have had a three step plan which is pretty simple, 25 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 2: and we're going to keep putting pressure on the pawers 26 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:27,840 Speaker 2: to be to make sure this occurs, and we'll be 27 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:30,680 Speaker 2: resenting in it. Today's meeting and it's pretty clear there's 28 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,040 Speaker 2: three parts of it. The first part is the education 29 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 2: and yes we've done some good work, more needs to 30 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:40,039 Speaker 2: be done. Second of all, Tart two is increased security. 31 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 2: So security security needs there needs to be more of it. 32 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 2: They need more power to effect and punish these anti 33 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 2: social passengers as passages. And there's got to be consequences 34 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 2: for assaulting passengers or public transport workers with heavy fines. 35 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 2: And we have to incarcipate, incarcerate people if they're gonna 36 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 2: act in this anti social in any sential way, there 37 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 2: has to be consequent. 38 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: So do you think that there does need to be 39 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: some mandatory jail time if somebody does assault a bus driver? 40 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 2: Absolutely, people should not. They should be should know that 41 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 2: they can come to work and be safe, and if 42 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,640 Speaker 2: they're going to be attacked or here or stabs or anything, 43 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:25,679 Speaker 2: that should be also cashless ticketing system they be put 44 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 2: in place. The less interaction the driver has to have 45 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 2: with the passengers, the less chance that's going to be 46 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 2: some sort of assault. So system should be in place, 47 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 2: and we've got to get up better driver protection screens, 48 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:46,079 Speaker 2: screens in for coverage so that their space can't be invaded. 49 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:49,920 Speaker 2: The current screens aren't adequate. As we've found out, it 50 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 2: comes to work, but they're not good enough. And all again, 51 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 2: other again, buses need to be fitted with automatic whelchair brands. 52 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 2: Drivers can't get it. That and the attack. The incident 53 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:05,360 Speaker 2: Saturday night is a guys got out of his chair 54 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 2: to put the ramp down from a wheelchair bound passenger, 55 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 2: which is roll was to do, and the guys come 56 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:15,799 Speaker 2: from behind him with a hammer. The hammer at ten 57 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 2: o'clock at night. 58 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: What when was this when. 59 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:20,959 Speaker 2: There's a person got a hammer? When was he drolling 60 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:21,799 Speaker 2: on Saturday night? 61 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 1: And so what happened? 62 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 2: Well, a passenger, the driver's got out of a chair 63 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 2: to assistay a wheelchair bear on passenger off the bus 64 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 2: by putting the safety ramp down and apparently when he 65 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 2: turned around he's been threatened with a hammer. Now luckily 66 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 2: he was uninjured. The hammer wasn't I didn't attack him, 67 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 2: but they smashed the bus window and disdemned the bus window. 68 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 2: But in God's name, what was someone getting on a 69 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 2: bus at ten o'clock at night with a hammer, for 70 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 2: bloody hell, unexfensible. So action has to be taken. Percent 71 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 2: drivers fill that's getting worse yep, verbally are sold one 72 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 2: uncertain events. It's not good. None and none of the 73 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 2: comments the drivers that received through this survey, well it 74 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 2: is so deserving. Things need to happen now. Will be 75 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 2: tabling this today and with all those results, and we'll 76 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 2: be demanding the actions taken and we need to do 77 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,279 Speaker 2: it quickly because it's only getting worse. 78 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,600 Speaker 1: Well, Ian, please let us know how that how that 79 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 1: meeting goes today with the government. We'd be very interested 80 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:35,840 Speaker 1: to hear their you know, their plan of attack when 81 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:39,280 Speaker 1: it comes to some of this terrible, terrible behavior that 82 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 1: we've seen on our bus network. Yes, well, yeah, thank you, Illan. 83 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 1: I appreciate your time this morning.