Heads could roll over Transport for NSW’s ‘end of year team bonding’

Transport for NSW bureaucrats have been issued a “please explain” after 200 officials were treated to a catered “planning day” and a bar tab after the event.

Hundreds of Transport bureaucrats dined on confit salmon and beef goulash as part of a “planning and development” day at the Hyatt Regency, with thousands of dollars of public money spent on a post-event bar tab at the hotel’s rooftop bar.

An urgent investigation into the planning day – and the post-event drinks function – has now been launched following inquiries from The Daily Telegraph. The Telegraph understands that those responsible for putting on the bar tab could find their jobs on the line.

It comes after a horror year in which Sydney’s trains recorded the worst on-time running record in four years and motorists have been plagued by pothole-filled roads.

Staff from Transport for NSW’s “Customer Strategy and Engagement Branch” spent an entire day at the five-star Sydney hotel discussing what the agency had achieved, a whistleblower told The Daily Telegraph.

As part of the event, public servants were tasked with recreating the Sydney Harbour Bridge out of aluminium foil, marshmallows and dried pasta. The whistleblower said staff were told that the activity was to “activate our right brains”.

Transport for NSW bureaucrats recreated the Harbour Bridge out of aluminium foil, dried pasta and marshmallows at an expensive staff development day on Thursday. Picture: supplied

It was described as an “end of year team bonding” exercise.

About 200 people attended the staff planning day. On one estimate, the event could have cost as much as $20,000 – at $100 per head.

Transport for NSW failed to disclose the cost.

Marshmallows were a popular accessory to al-foil bridges.

Some creations appeared more structurally sound than others.

In an email to staff, the venue – a function room at the Hyatt Regency – was described as “pretty charming with a view over Darling Harbour”.

The post-event drinks function was held at the Hyatt Regency’s Zephyr rooftop bar, with staff asked in a separate email to confirm their attendance “so we have a clearer understanding of how many people the venue will be able to accommodate”.

“It was probably money and time better spent elsewhere,” the Transport whistleblower said.

Infrastructure Minister Rob Stokes, who is the lead Minister for the Transport cluster, slammed the event as “unacceptable”.

Infrastructure Minister Rob Stokes demanded an explanation. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

He has demanded a please explain, vowing that there will be consequences.

“This event wasn’t appropriate. Spending taxpayers’ money on a bar tab is totally unacceptable and completely out of line with public expectations,” he told the Telegraph.

“Immediately after hearing about this incident, I directed Transport for NSW to launch an urgent investigation as to how this happened, and to inform me of what action they intend to take to hold those responsible to account.

A Transport for NSW spokesman said the investigation will “urgently” probe “the purchase of alcohol with public funds at a post-function gathering”.

“If taxpayer funds were used to purchase alcohol, then the Department will not hesitate to take strong action.”