Greens plan for state to run public transport

“We have an accountable public official who can undertake all of these functions,” Stephen Moynihan said. The role of director of public transport was already part of the Transport Integration Act, he said, to provide, operate and maintain the public transport system.

via theage.com.au

Really, the main thrust of the Greens’ plan is to invent a new body that’s ultimately responsible for the smooth running of the public transportation system in Victoria. Minister Pakula’s spokesperson, quoted above, says we already have one of those. I assert that if this person was doing their job, we wouldn’t be in the mess we’re currently in. Actually, my initial response to that quote was “oh really? We have one of those?”

While I agree most wholeheartedly with simplifying the bureaucracy and making someone actually accountable for the system, I’m not sold on the idea of the Government moving back into a role as operator of the system. While they may be more responsive to customer needs than a foreign-owned conglomerate, they don’t have any experience running a railroad, and I don’t have a very high opinion of the Victorian Government bureaucracy’s ability to actually deliver infrastructure services.