Taxpayers foot bill for workers who lounge, smoke and play with phones on job

CBD sites have brought the city to a standstill — yet workers don’t seem to be in a rush. A special investigation has caught workers smoking at work as well as spending portions of their shifts texting.

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WORKERS on billion-dollar state infrastructure projects which have brought the centre of Sydney to a grinding halt are getting about $35 an hour to smoke, text, lounge on curbs and even bounce tennis balls.

A special investigation by The Daily Telegraph has also caught high-vis clad employees flouting safety protocols by smoking at work as well as spending large portions of their shifts on their phones.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance condemned the “mucking up” in plain sight of the frustrated Sydneysiders who have to put up with the inconvenience of the work.

He said the workers needed to get on with the job.

George St, city: 9.50pm. A worker on her phone. Picture: Christian Gilles

Holt and Devonshire streets, Surry Hills: 1pm. A road worker keeps busy with a tennis ball.

“I expect better,” Mr Constance said yesterday.

“We have businesses along the light rail route under enormous pressure, who expect the contractor to work hard to get out of construction zones on time.

“I have zero tolerance for mucking up.”

Mr Constance said the city had an ambitious infrastructure program and contractors had to work to deliver the projects on time and on budget.

Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance is less than impressed. Picture: Tim Hunter.

On Sydney Water’s $1.2 million project to replace a 200m section of water main between Crown and Bourke Streets, controllers were seen sitting on parked cars and smoking cigarettes when they were meant to be controlling traffic.

And yesterday at a construction site on Devonshire St in Surry Hills one worker was even passing the time bouncing a tennis ball in a solo game of handball.

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A little solo handball to fight off boredom at Devonshire St. Picture: Rose Brennan

Albion and Crown streets, Surry Hills: 8.50pm Picture: Richard Dobson

Another worker at a different construction site lit up three cigarettes in the space of 40 minutes as she leaned on a parked car.

Most of the employees were traffic controllers employed by Roads and Maritime Services — who can earn up to $35 an hour for casual work.

“We are contracted to the light rail to manage traffic,” one worker standing around at Surry Hills roadworks for the $2.1 billion light rail project said yesterday.

Acciona Australia, which has the contract to build the light rail, did not comment yesterday.

Sydney Water pledged a review after being presented with the evidence of the lazy practices of workers on one of their sites.

“They should only be smoking on their breaks and this is something we will be following up with the contractor as a priority,” a Sydney Water spokeswomen said.

“Performance of contractors is regularly monitored and a review of this work site will be undertaken to ensure work is being undertaken efficiently and public safety is being maintained at all times.”

She said the work was being carried out by contractor Diona Pty Ltd to replace a section of water main in Albion Street, Surry Hills.

A worker takes a smoke break on the corner of Albion and Crown streets. Picture: Richard Dobson

Albion and Crown street, Surry Hills: 9.28pm. Picture: Richard Dobson

“Traffic control is provided by a subcontractor who is engaged by Diona to assist with managing traffic flow around the work site and manage pedestrian traffic to ensure public safety,” she said.

“Sydney Water expects all of its contractors to abide by its stringent safety requirements and operational procedures.”

Diona’s chief executive manager David O’Connor said it was “fully supportive” of Sydney Water’s comments.