Peter Dutton enters fray on rail standoff, demands PM show ‘guts’

As the long-running dispute between the NSW government and rail workers returns to the Fair Work Commission in a bid for a ruling to end rail strikes, Peter Dutton says its time the PM entered the fray.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has entered the fray over Sydney’s rail standoff, demanding Prime Minister Anthony Albanese show some “guts” against the union.

In his first comments about the industrial chaos holding commuters to ransom, Mr Dutton said that Mr Albanese must “stand up to militant unions holding the public to ransom”.

The comments raise the political stakes for the federal government, amid calls for Industrial Relations Minister Murray Watt to use his power under the Fair Work Act to terminate the Rail, Tram and Bus Union’s industrial action.

“Minister Watt has the power to sort this mess out and get the trains back running on time and without disruption, and the Prime Minister should have the guts to use the power,” Mr Dutton told The Daily Telegraph.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has demanded the PM intervene on the rail dispute. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

PM Anthony Albanese said the dispute was a state matter. Picture: PM’s office

“People are working harder than ever and they don’t want their lives regularly disrupted by unions flexing their muscles in a power struggle with the Premier.”

But the PM is unlikely to intervene in the escalating crisis, saying this morning the dispute is between NSW and the union.

“Well, it’s time that the rail, unions, settled this dispute with the Premier,” Mr Albanese said.

“This is a dispute that is there between the rail union and the New South Wales Government, (they were) very close to an agreement.

“I call upon the union to recognise that they will not have public support if they are disrupting people going about their business, going to work, engaging in routine … we want this dispute to be settled, and we’ve called for all parties to make sure they act responsibly and to settle this.”

BACK TO FAIR WORK

It comes as the Minns government and rail unions again appear before the Fair Work Commission in a hearing which was set for 10am Wednesday, with government lawyers seeking a court order to end industrial action.

Ahead of the hearing, Mr Watt said he would not use his “extraordinary” powers to end the dispute.

NSW Rail, Tram and Bus Union Secretary Toby Warnes pictured speaking to media outside the Fair Work Commission. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“Over the last few days and weeks, I’ve spent many hours talking with members of the government and unions, trying to bend ears and bend arms to try to get a resolution here,” he told Channel 7.

“What I’ve been focused on is trying to convince both sides to resolve this.”

“I absolutely understand the frustration of Sydney commuters. I’m frustrated by this, and I don’t even live in Sydney, let alone the commuters who have been having to put up with this for months now,” he said.

An industrial dispute threw the network into chaos on Friday. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

The RTBU on Wednesday wrote to Transport for NSW Secretary Josh Murray offering to recommend that their members accept a new enterprise bargaining agreement if the government agreed for a $4,500 one-off payment was sent for “arbitration” by the umpire.

That offer was not accepted.

Mr Dutton’s intervention comes after the Telegraph revealed Labor MPs in Sydney are concerned the rail dispute could bleed into the election campaign.

One MP said the chaos was having a “really bad” impact on Labor’s brand.

Originally published as Peter Dutton enters fray on rail standoff, demands PM show ‘guts’