TRANSPORT MINISTER COVERS UP INCENTIVE PAYMENTS TO NEWCASTLES PRIVATE BUS OPERATOR

Following this mornings Notice of Motion by Member for Charlestown, Jodie Harrison condemning the Transport Minister for offering per-passenger incentive payments to the private transport operator, Keolis Downer, Ms Harrison subsequently asked the Minister the following question during Question Time:

The contract with the Newcastle Buses private operator includes a per-passenger Patronage Incentive Payment. Is this an incentive to make the routes shorter, forcing commuters to change buses, therefore increasing the patronage statistics and the Patronage Incentive Payment?

The Minister again displayed his arrogance for the people of the Hunter by making no apology for incentivising chopping up Newcastles bus routes Ms Harrison said.

It is now becoming clear why the Minister has been talking up additional services and increased patronage numbers so he can reward Keolis Downer with a big, fat bonus which he signed off on in the contract.

The Patronage Incentive Payment is hidden on p239 of the heavily redacted contract under the section Variation to Monthly Contract Price.

There is no question that the number of people using our buses needs to be increased. We all want that! But this Patronage Incentive Payment rewards the bus operator for chopping bus routes up into pieces.

(ENDS)