Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks could be cancelled amid train chaos

It’s back to court on Tuesday as the government and a powerful hospitality group this afternoon lost their latest attempt to save Sydney’s internationally renowned New Years Eve fireworks from a train strike. Here is what we know.

The government and heavyweight hospitality groups have lost an eleventh-hour bid to save Sydney’s internationally-renowned New Years Eve fireworks.

The government launched action in the NSW Fair Work Commission alongside powerful hospitality entity Laundy Hotels, amid a growing economic threat protected industrial action by the rail unions would have on Sydney’s NYE celebrations and the hospitality industry.

The application for a hearing as early as this afternoon was refused by Fair Work about 4pm. The matter will now be heard — alongside a separate application — on Christmas Eve.

It comes after a bizarre and confusing press conference on Friday where Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) NSW secretary Toby Warnes accused the government of “resorting to hysteria” by threatening to cancel the New Year’s Eve fireworks.

The union claimed the industrial action would have a “negligible impact” on the running of trains on New Year’s Eve despite earlier in the week estimating the network would only be running at 50 percent.

Police Commissioner Karen Webb has threatened to cancel New Year’s Eve fireworks amid safety concerns with trains on limited services. Picture: Tom Parrish

Mr Warnes accused the government of resorting to “scaring the public” instead of sitting down to resolve the dispute.

“Instead of attempting to resolve the dispute, the government is resorting to hysteria and has resorted to scaring the people of NSW rather than sitting down with the unions,” he said.

“It has gotten so bad that the government has resorted to having honest hard working public servants come out and tell fibs about the effect of our action – an action which would at the most have a minimal impact,” he said.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Premier Chris Minn. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Challenged about what revellers could experience on New Year’s Eve with the bans in place,

Union president Craig Turner claimed “no trains ran on the timetable” on the night anyway.

“This New Year’s Eve will be the same as every other one,” he said.

‘No train ever runs on a timetable. Everything is slow. On that night, we have 40 percent more train guards and drivers working. They do that on purpose because the trains are not running properly.

“It doesn’t matter with our actions on. It will be exactly the same New Year’s Eve as it has run for the last 20 years. People will get into town and it will be safe. They will get

home with their families. This is public hysteria.”

Asked who the public should believe — Mr Warnes’ claim that the network would only be running at 50 per cent — or Mr Turner’s claim that the impact would be “minimal”, Mr Turner said his version was correct.

“It’s mine, because I’m the train guard and I’ve worked 11 (NYEs),” he said.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the council would follow the directions of police, while working with the Premier to ensure the fireworks could go ahead.

“If the police formally recommend cancelling the event, I will request an urgent meeting with the Premier to discuss the matter,” she said.

“Sydney’s world-renowned fireworks display showcases our city on the global stage and drives tourism for the coming year. More than half a billion people watch on TV around the world, and the event contributes an estimated $280 million in economic benefit.

“We will do everything we can to ensure the fireworks can go ahead safely.”

‘$98m lost if NYE fireworks cancelled’

Earlier on Friday, Police Commissioner Karen Webb warned she would order the cancellation of New Year’s Eve fireworks should the rail unions carry out its threats to strike – as the state’s leading business organisation forecast it could cost the state$98 million in lost economic value.

In a dramatic escalation of the crippling dispute, Ms Webb declared that families and members of the public needed to be able to go home safely — and if this was not possible, she would have no other option than to seek to cancel the event.

“I have grave concerns,” she told reporters in Sydney on Friday.

“Each year, we police New Year’s Eve on the basis that 250 thousand people can come into the city and then safely leave the city. Leaving the city is based on access to transport, including trains. And if trains aren’t available, and people can’t leave the city, I have very large concerns of the risk that will create to the public because families won’t be able to get home and they’ll be trapped in the city with no way out.

“I haven’t ruled out that I will recommend to the government that we cancel the fireworks. It’s that serious.

Business NSW chief executive officer Daniel Hunter

Business NSW chief executive Daniel Hunter said the complete cancellation of the fireworks would have an economic cost of approximately $98 million.

`” If the unions force a cancellation of our iconic New Year’s Eve celebrations, it would be a disaster for Sydney, a disaster for NSW, a disaster for businesses and workers and a disaster for our international brand. It would take us years to recover from this,” he said.

“This is the time when small and medium business owners, especially mum and dad business owners, make their money.

“This may push many businesses into bankruptcy – and we’ve seen enough bankruptcies this year as it is.

“The union’s demand for 32 per cent pay rise over four years is not sustainable and completely unreasonable. We urge the unions to let the people celebrate and give our state the much-needed lift it needs.”

The move follows the collapse of negotiations between the Rail, Tram, and Bus Union (RTBU) and the Minns government after a Federal Court ruling in favour of rail workers.

The union’s demands have not changed, while the government has also refused to budge.

Vowing to stare down the unions, Premier Chris Minns said on Friday that the government would not be “dragged back” to the negotiation table.

“I cannot be dragged back to the negotiating table and pay an exorbitant amount of money,” he said.

“We can’t afford it.”

Originally published as Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks could be cancelled amid train chaos