1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,600 Speaker 1: But as we know last week, if you were listening 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: to the show, you would have heard the Minister for Transport, 3 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: Infrastructure Logistics, Evil Lawless. 4 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 2: She joined us on the. 5 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: Show and talked us through these amendments that were made 6 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:14,440 Speaker 1: in Parliament last week that she said would make our road, 7 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:17,600 Speaker 1: bus and rail networks, as well as our waterways safer 8 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: for territorians. Now included the strengthening of legislation to allow 9 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: transit safety officers to ban people from entering buses and 10 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: bus stations when they behaved in an offensive, threatening, violent 11 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: or disorderly manner. 12 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:34,920 Speaker 2: Now joining me on the line to tell us a 13 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:35,520 Speaker 2: little bit. 14 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: More about how they felt about these changes and whether 15 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 1: it's going to make any difference. The Transport Workers Union 16 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: branch secretary Ian Smith, Good morning to you, Ian. 17 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:47,880 Speaker 3: Good morning Cody. 18 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 2: Ian. Yeah, not too bad. 19 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 1: Obviously these changes went through Parliament last week. 20 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 2: What was the union's reaction. 21 00:00:56,120 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 3: Well, it's a good step. Anything that's going to strengthen 22 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:07,320 Speaker 3: and make people consequence for people's action has to there's 23 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 3: some assistance that it's on the ground that we're going 24 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 3: to need to see some change. Now. The bottom line 25 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 3: is that's great news and the governments are for afordances. 26 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 3: We're on the rights back where we're starting our three 27 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 3: point pan. There was and we need some consequences to 28 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 3: people behaving badly. Now this is a start, but we 29 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 3: certainly need more tsos on the ground so there's more 30 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 3: people out there that can actually police it be compress. 31 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 1: Yeah, So I had wondered that because I thought to myself, 32 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,200 Speaker 1: it's good that obviously the transit officers can now or 33 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: they'll now be able to ban people from entering those 34 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 1: buses and bus stations. But I had wondered that do 35 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: we have enough transit officers. 36 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 3: Our position will we know and certainly the drivers so 37 00:01:56,400 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 3: that's the case, but by giving them more powers, certainly 38 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 3: that's going to assist. So you know, we're not going 39 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 3: to We're going to continue to keep pushing for the 40 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 3: three point plan. You know, we need you know, it 41 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 3: is one thing is about giving a consequence, but we 42 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,519 Speaker 3: need to make the drivers safe in the first place, 43 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 3: so a full driver protection system in place needs to 44 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 3: go in. So we've done a fair bit of work 45 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 3: on coming up with some recommendations which we will be 46 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 3: putting to the government. We're just trying to organize a 47 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:31,519 Speaker 3: meeting with them at the moment, which with natural costings. 48 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 3: You know, we're our understanding on the current bus network 49 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 3: systems I have for around about twelve hundred dollars per bus. 50 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 3: I know it's a big expense. There's a full proper 51 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 3: protection screen that goes across It will protect the driver 52 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:51,559 Speaker 3: fully and well and fixes a lot of the visibility 53 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 3: issues that the screen causes. 54 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:54,679 Speaker 2: And ian you want that. 55 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: You guys want that on every bus. That's that twelve 56 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 1: hundred dollars full protection screen. You want that on every 57 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:01,639 Speaker 1: bus within the network. 58 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 3: Absolutely that number one keeps the driver safe and that's 59 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 3: what we must do in the first instance, so then 60 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:13,920 Speaker 3: there's no incidentive for these people have behaved poorly. That 61 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 3: stops that. So that will help certainly. The legislative change 62 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 3: that the government's putting through we apport. But once again, 63 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 3: more people on the ground's important, absolutely important. And then 64 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 3: the education piece, which we've done already and we continue 65 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,920 Speaker 3: to push. We have to change people's habits. We have 66 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 3: to change what occurs in the network because it's not 67 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 3: good enough. Because of we need an effective, safe public 68 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 3: transport system in the territory and got that at the moment. 69 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: How have things been going on our bus network over 70 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 1: the last couple of weeks since we last spoke. 71 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 3: Well, drivers are getting pretty frustrated, as you'd understand. And look, 72 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 3: I think everybody's seen under a hell of a lot 73 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 3: of pressure through this pandemic and through the times it's causing. 74 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 3: So the frustration there's from everybody. But you know, we 75 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 3: need to keep working extremely hard to make change and 76 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 3: this union will never start until we get something in 77 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 3: place that does that. And you know, I think there's 78 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,039 Speaker 3: an appetite, Well, there needs to be an appetite to 79 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 3: address this because it's the benefit of all territorium. 80 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, well that's right, the bus drivers and absolutely everybody 81 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:30,600 Speaker 1: that is on those those buses each and every day. 82 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:32,800 Speaker 1: I know that it is the form of transport for 83 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:34,039 Speaker 1: a lot of Territorians. 84 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:37,840 Speaker 3: Absolutely well, so we're going to keep working hard, and 85 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 3: as I said, in the near future, we'll be sitting 86 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:43,279 Speaker 3: down and want to meet the senior people in the government, 87 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:45,599 Speaker 3: and then I believe that in the next couple of 88 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 3: weeks there's another that the Network Committee gets back together 89 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 3: again through its normal quarterly meetings, So once again we'll 90 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 3: be pushing that argument and we'll continue to push that argument. 91 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 3: We need change and we are going to make sure 92 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 3: that change occurs. 93 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 1: Hegan, just on those the full protection, the twelve hundred 94 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: dollars on each of those buses. 95 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,480 Speaker 2: How many buses are we talking, ah. 96 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 3: Now that'd be a good question. I think us think 97 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:15,719 Speaker 3: may Bad have a couple at least a couple one hundred, 98 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 3: and there's probably about fifty between two fifteenth round the buses. 99 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:22,720 Speaker 3: So it's considerable outcome for the companies which own the 100 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 3: buses and for the government owns them as well. But 101 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:30,799 Speaker 3: I think the cost of work, cover claims, have damage 102 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 3: to vehicles, to the cost of security office, everything there 103 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 3: goes on top. So if we can reduce the anti 104 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 3: social behavior that occurs in the system, there's major cost 105 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 3: so things there, So it's probably cost effective to these 106 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:51,160 Speaker 3: sort of things. Understandingly, we all understand that all governments 107 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:54,359 Speaker 3: around the pretty severe pressure with finances and everything because 108 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 3: of the pandemic. But people deserve the right to go 109 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:02,919 Speaker 3: about their business in a safe manner. Bus drivers in 110 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 3: the system deserve to be able to go to work 111 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 3: and go home safely every night. 112 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 1: Well Ian Smith, the Transport Workers Union branch secretary, we 113 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 1: always appreciate your time. 114 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 2: Thank you for having a chat with us today. 115 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 3: Nice Thanks Hellien, thank you, afternoon, all the. 116 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 1: Morning, thank you and yeah, just chatting there obviously if 117 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 1: you've just joined us with Ian Smith from the Transport 118 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,840 Speaker 1: Workers Union about those changes that came into play last week, 119 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: the government making those amendments in Parliament that they say 120 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: are going to make people safer and allow those transport 121 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 1: safety officers to ban people from entering buses and other 122 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 1: base bus stations when they've behaved in an offensive, threatening, violent. 123 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 2: Or disorderly manner. 124 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 1: And it will mean that those bus networks were with 125 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 1: the transit safety of offices, they're going to have more powers, 126 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 1: so they'll be able to ban people from entering the 127 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 1: buses and bus stations, like I said, when they've behaved 128 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:58,840 Speaker 1: in those ways. But these amendments included giving them the 129 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:01,359 Speaker 1: power to deal with a person who assault someone or 130 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 1: damages property within the bus network or a bus station 131 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: when the offender is outside a bus station and making 132 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 1: it or making an assault on a transit officer an 133 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: arrestable offense. So they were the changes that came into 134 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 1: play last week. As you've heard there from Ian Smith, 135 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: Yes it is a good step, it's a good thing. 136 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 1: But what they are calling for is these full protection 137 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: for all of those drivers. So those sort of cases, 138 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: I guess you'd say that are around the bus drivers 139 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: around twelve hundred dollars each for those full protection screens 140 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: on all of those buses to keep them safe.