Queensland Election 2017: LNP plans to stand up to rail unions in promise to fix state’s rail fail

THE LNP has been accused of copying another Labor plan, this time the solution to Queensland’s “rail fail”.

QUEENSLAND’S Labor Government has hit out at the Opposition’s election plans to fix Queensland Rail, accusing it of copying its own action plan.

The Courier-Mail today revealed the Liberal National Party would make fixing the ongoing rail problems a priority if elected, pushing back against union-backed internal hiring rules for train drivers and guards, overhauling communications and speeding-up training.

However Transport Minister Jackie Trad issued a statement today attacking the policy announcement, saying the Government had already made strong progress implementing the recommendations of this year’s independent Strachan Inquiry into Queensland Rail’s timetable collapse.

“On-time running is up above 95 per cent, satisfaction is up and cancellations are down,” Ms Trad said.

“The Palaszczuk Labor Government has already opened full external recruitment, improved communications and fast-tracked training.

“The LNP are really grasping at straws today. Their plan is a poor attempt at mimicking the work we have undertaken to date.”

She also hit out at the LNP’s record on managing QR, saying it had suspended driver recruitment and sacked driver trainers.

“They also bought half-price trains from India which did not even meet disability standards - we are also fixing that and the work will be done in Queensland.”

Labor earlier this week accused the LNP of copying its plan to build more dams in the state’s north.

Transport Minister Jackie Trad has accused the Opposition of copying Labor’s ‘rail fail’ action plan.

Overnight, The Courier-Mail reported rail commuters would be warned of train delays faster and in “plain speak”, more train drivers would be hired and unions cut out of hiring under a State Opposition plan to fix the “rail fail”.

The Liberal National Party will tomorrow unveil its plan to repair the broken rail network just more than a year after a driver shortage forced the Government to axe hundreds of train services.

It will include a plan to “stand up” to the rail unions over closed-shop rules at Queensland Rail that have hampered attempts to immediately advertise train driver vacancies externally.

“We will ensure a full and permanent external recruitment process at Queensland Rail to fill Labor’s driver shortfall,” Mr Nicholls said.

“All Queenslanders should be able to apply to be a train driver, not just the ones picked by the unions,” he said.

Mr Nicholls also pledged to hire more drivers and speed up training by fast-tracking a program in which drivers are trained on particular rail corridors to get them behind the controls sooner.

LNP Leader Tim Nicholls has pledged to hire more drivers to fix the rail fail.

Communications about train delays will also be announced on rail platforms in plain and simple language “rather than using rail jargon or bureaucratic speak”.

The change is aimed at giving passengers a chance to make alternative plans to avoid delays.

“A big bugbear of commuters is the poor communication from TransLink and QR any time there is an issue,” Mr Nicholls said.

“Passengers want clear announcements, which tell them what the issue is and updates on it being resolved,” he said

“They don’t want to be treated like mugs, that’s why we will overhaul QR’s communications.”

The Strachan Commission of Inquiry into QR this year recommended better communications to “restore public confidence”, but passengers have continued to complain about a lack of timely information, including those trapped on a broken-down train for almost three hours in August.

The LNP will also appoint an independent verifier and mediator to get the troubled New Generation Rollingstock trains running for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April.

Major project delays have led to mounting doubts about whether the trains can be ready in time.

Executive bonuses at QR will also be frozen until the operator lifts its performance under an LNP government. It comes after public anger over rail chiefs pocketing thousands of dollars in bonuses at the height of the rail timetable collapse last year.

Annual reports show $260,000 of bonuses were paid out last financial year.

Originally published as Queensland Election 2017: LNP plans to stand up to rail unions in promise to fix state’s rail fail