Come back Pete!
Who ever thought there could be a worse Transport Minister than Peter Batchelor? Certainly I didn't. However I think the preliminary report card on Ms Kosky suggests I was wrong.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/trams-trains-likely-to-stay-private/2007/02/25/1172338469217.html
The above article not only tells us that Kosky believes Connex is doing fine, but also thinks we're being a bit hard on them! Aaahhh poor Connex, the most pathetically inept management you could imagine is really just misunderstood. Apparently it's all our fault for being too slow getting in and out of those carriages. That wouldn't be because they're jam-packed with people would it Ms Kosky?
This is very bad news. Here we had the opportunity to start getting our public transport system sorted and here's some cloth-eared nuff-nuff who's been in the job five minutes deciding that she's got it all sussed, she's right and we're wrong. No discussion, no debate, no public accountability, that's it.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/trams-trains-likely-to-stay-private/2007/02/25/1172338469217.html
The above article not only tells us that Kosky believes Connex is doing fine, but also thinks we're being a bit hard on them! Aaahhh poor Connex, the most pathetically inept management you could imagine is really just misunderstood. Apparently it's all our fault for being too slow getting in and out of those carriages. That wouldn't be because they're jam-packed with people would it Ms Kosky?
This is very bad news. Here we had the opportunity to start getting our public transport system sorted and here's some cloth-eared nuff-nuff who's been in the job five minutes deciding that she's got it all sussed, she's right and we're wrong. No discussion, no debate, no public accountability, that's it.
posted by Connex Whinger at 4:40 am
12 Comments:
Its dissappointing we have a government totally uninterested in worlds best practice but rather mediocre (or less) is good enough (good enough for people not travelling in taxpayer funded limosines)...
Well i didn't vote labour as they are useless beauracratic managers, not leaders!
sorry for getting political.
You are fucking kidding me.
Does this woman live in the real world?
Presumably if we should be less concerned with punctuality, they'll be removing parking fines and not paying our taxes.
Just remind me, wasn't she previously the Health Minister? That would explain public hospital waiting lists.....
I'd hate to think what was already happening with our education sysem, before Kosky came to Transport.
some letters from the age yesterday
******
"Do I want to run a train system? I don't think so," said Lynne Kosky, Victoria's Minister for Transport ( The Age, 26/2). What a crushingly disappointing statement for those of us who believe in Melbourne's public transport system.
It's hard to think of a comment more flippant, selfish and dismissive of one of the great engineering works in this country, and shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the importance of the trains to all Melburnians (even the car drivers).
Ms Kosky should move on and let somebody else have a go, a minister who understands how important a well-run, not-for-profit, mass transit system is in a city of 4 million people.
******
SO LYNNE Kosky has dropped the spin and told us she "doesn't want to run a train system"! The bad news (for Ms Kosky and all of us) is that that's actually what the Transport Minister is required to do. Regardless of whether the system is in private or public hands, it is the Government's job to oversee it and make it work. Unfortunately Ms Kosky, like her incompetent predecessor, is taking the lazy path of using privatisation to cover her lack of commitment. We don't need another Peter Batchelor, we need a minister with some vision and application who can deliver genuine transport choices for our burgeoning city.
Clearly the operators can now expect an even easier ride on the public subsidy gravy train. Our only hope now is that the WA Government puts in a tender!
*******
AS A self-professed "public transport convert", Lynne Kosky is staggeringly inconsiderate about commuters' needs. To be told, after months of train delays and cancellations, that we are "too focused on punctuality" indicates that she has a low regard for commuters and no interest in improving or reforming the system.
Perhaps Ms Kosky's job does not require punctuality so she can ride public transport as a leisure activity. However, Melburnians need a transport system that they can count on every day of the week.
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HOW unreasonable of us public transport commuters to be preoccupied with punctuality! Some of the blame lies with those irrational employers who want a full day's work from us, and our families who would like to see us some time despite the fact that we selfishly insist on trying to use public transport so the environment can benefit. And let's not forget those of us who insist on using more than one form of public transport on our trip — those privatised services just insist on leaving according to their own timetables with no thought to chilling out and waiting for the late arrival of services from other companies.
Next year when public transport is reprivatised with another company, I'll do the right thing — perhaps buy a car so I can do my bit to increase global warming and the petrol crisis. I know that to really let go of my obsession with arriving on time I should probably get my own VIP chauffeur, but I'll do what I can.
I was hoping for good things with Kosky but her latest statements indicate to me that I should be disappointed. I hope that she was merely misunderstood and actually does care about the train system working effectively.
Red Ken has written an opinion piece in The Age on the whole sad mess:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/kenneth-davidson/put-the-public-back-in-public-transport/2007/02/28/1172338702691.html
Keep up the good work my man. I've joined the fray with the Vline Traralgon Whinger Blog and was lucky enough to have a CONNEX experience the other day: http://vlinetraralgon.blogspot.com/2007/03/connex-whinge.html
Yepp you can pray that the WA Government's Public Transport Authority might chuck in a tender, heck our trains in Perth run on time, reliable, clean and shock horror no graffiti on the body! and the reason this is there still Government owned and Operated.
Couldnt believe it when I read the article on Kosky and she said that they want to keep it private operator I just about fell out off the kitchen stool. Some people just like the sound of there own voices in the Bracks Govt.
Hey Kosky heres a hint, ring Allanah McTiernan Minister for Planning and Infrastrucutre in the WA State Government she'll give ya a few tips on how to run a train set you stupid cow!
Gee I'm glad I was cycling home tonight, four cancellations this evening. That would've been fun getting home.
As for the cloth-eared nuff-nuff, despite her commitment to helping Victorians, she has I am here to help you as her opening line on her blog, she can't even be arsed to respond to constructive emails. Thanks for all your help Lynne.
I read in the Herald Sun today (http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21315587-2862,00.html) that Connex failed to meet its minimum performance standards for February (surprise! surprise!) so compensation is payable. However its not on their website yet so don't put it down as a free ticket just yet if you happen to be one of the very few wronged passengers who have monthly or longer tickets that were valid during February.
The compensation of a free daily ticket isn't much, probably only a tiny fraction of what common law damages would be for many affected passengers, but at least its something!
If wanna claim compensation for Feb 07 9Connex poor performance it's on www.connexmelbourne.com.au
doubt it helps if you have a yearly
i'd settle with cash compensation; or a decent coffee, much more worthier than a Daily Ticket.
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