Editorial: Minister Mark Bailey needs to fix the QR mess that remains even after Rail Fail

Transport Minister Mark Bailey needs to take charge of key Queensland Rail issues, and sort out the mess that has shown very little improvement since the Rail Fail, writes THE EDITOR.

Queensland Rail is riddled with myriad problems, crises and failures, the latest being a cost of almost $10 million for train drivers and guards during the past five months. Picture: Jack Tran

HOW long will it take for the Labor Government of Annastacia Palaszczuk to get serious about fixing Queensland Rail’s myriad problems, crises and failures?

It seems the answer to this question is never. There is no will to do anything about the repeated collapses in the system of basic things, like making sure there are enough trains running to get passengers from station A to station B.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey has been in the job for almost 18 months. Picture: AAP/Darren England

There are not enough drivers and guards to run the services that do manage to make it on the tracks. All the while, the cost of the appalling service we have to endure is ballooning – in fact, it’s out of anyone’s control.

Today we report the runaway overtime costs that were an early feature of the Rail Fail which prompted an official inquiry last year, headed by retired judge Michael Forde, are still on that fast track to who knows where.

Figures tabled in state parliament detail a cost of almost $10 million for train drivers and guards during the past five months, just under $450,000 a week. The words acceptable and sustainable are nowhere near any sentence describing this rolling debacle.

When this $10 million in five months figure is put up against the $43 million overtime bill for the 19 months after the Rail Fail scandal was first exposed, it’s clear there’s been no improvement whatsoever.

While we know what the additional cost is for the overtime – itself regarded a perk by the cosseted unionists so favoured by the Palaszczuk Government – we do not have a figure for any extra funds needed to pay for replacement bus and other services to fill in any gaps left because of this poor planning and management.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey, who has had more political accidents than occur on the M1 every morning, grabbed a Sir Humphrey script when responding to this appalling state of affairs.

According to the bumbling minister, it’s “not unusual” for train crews to operate with a “certain level of overtime” to meet demand changes in the network.

Does Mr Bailey even know what that means? Don’t bother to seek an explanation, it’s just doublespeak from an L-plate minister who couldn’t run a warm bath, let alone the rail system of a sprawling state with a demanding capital city.

The rail system needs enough drivers and guards to run a decent service on time, every time.

Premier Palaszczuk needs to crack down on underperforming ministers – a list on which Mr Bailey has an ironically exalted position near the very top.

Service delivery is the bread and butter of state governments which is why a ministry like transport is so important.

Mr Bailey has served in the job for almost a year and half, having taken over from Jackie Trad, who got out just in time to escape the odium of Rail Fail and other disasters. That said, it is now Mr Bailey’s job to put the delivery back into services.

The minister should take charge of these key issues, tell Queensland Rail management these blowouts cannot continue and make it clear to the unions they cannot depend on hundreds of thousands of dollars every week in overtime payments to pump up take-home salaries.

If he has any doubt about what’s required he should ask his colleague Cameron Dick who showed himself as one of Labor’s best performers during the almost two years he spent in the health portfolio. Mr Bailey might find a bit of humility could be a path to learning.

ADD-ONS RORT AIRLINE PASSENGERS

JETSTAR’s slick marketing slogan “All day, every day, low fares” will prompt plenty of hollow laughs among customers of the budget airline as they count the cost of that essential part of travel – luggage.

An investigation by News Corp Australia has found that add-on costs almost double the price of some tickets through the extra luggage surcharge.

Plus 3kg may sound innocent enough but it has become a nice little earner for Jetstar. Picture: Jetstar

As all airlines crack down on the size and weight of carry-on luggage, Jetstar has found a way to gouge bags of money from customers, mainly through the innocent-sounding “Plus 3kg” bundle, which allows passengers to add 3kg to the usual 7kg limit.

It looks like the grab for money is nothing more than a nice little earner, making it more expensive to add baggage weight on shorter routes.

No wonder Qantas recently reported an 11 per cent increase in “ancillary revenue” for Jetstar, making it an easy winner as global champion in a recent comparison by IdeaWorksCompany when analysing airline add-on costs.

Passengers need to be aware and alert to what’s nothing more than a tricky, money-making lurk.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Sam Weir, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details are available at couriermail.com.au