Sydney's commuters are sick of delays regardless of who is to blame
Tuesday's peak hour chaos, which started as students were trying to get home from school and extended well into the commuter hour, will have seriously tested the patience of heavy rail users.
It was a broken overhead live wire landing on the roof of a train in Sydney's west that caused the delays but that is irrelevant. Sydney's commuters are tired of delays, regardless of who is to blame.
Only as recently as February, commuters were collateral damage in the bitter ongoing wages dispute between the state government and rail unions.
Few will forget Valentine's Day this year, when Sydney experienced massive train delays and cancellations. The city was thrown into chaos as a significant number of train drivers and guards called in sick, according to Transport for NSW.
The unions, however, maintained the absences were no more unusual than other Fridays.
After an elongated industrial dispute, last minute-negotiations broke down when the government said it was blindsided by a union claim for a one-off $4500 sign-on bonus. 'I think the union is gaslighting Sydney,' NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said.
The Rail, Tram and Bus Union was having none of it. They insisted that the bonus was a deal signed by the former Liberal transport minister David Elliott. It was a classic case of he said, she said. It was not the only major disruption on the city's rail network during the months-long dispute, but it had a big impact.
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The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Legal top guns target national working with kids scheme
Current working with children check laws are "hopeless", the prime minister concedes, as Australia's top legal advisors meet to consider a national scheme. Federal Attorney-General Michelle Rowland is meeting with state and territory counterparts in Sydney on Friday to discuss setting up a national system for working with children checks. Calls for a unified system have been growing following multiple reports of abuse in childcare centres. In one instance, a Victorian childcare worker was still allowed to retain his working with children check and work in the industry despite a major provider substantiating grooming allegations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the reports were shocking and indicated more needed to be done to fix working with children checks. "It's hopeless, and we need to do better, quite clearly, and these revelations are a wake-up call for state and territory governments in terms of the regulations," he told ABC Radio on Friday. "The reports that we've seen recently have shocked parents and every parent's worst nightmare. That's why we are taking action at the national level." Recommendations for a national working with children check scheme were made in the findings of the 2017 royal commission into child sexual abuse. Ms Rowland conceded the reform had not happened quickly enough. "All representatives of states and territories are united in the goal of making this system better and making it safer for children, which should be our top priority," she told ABC Radio. "I acknowledged this has taken too long, but I wish to reassure Australians that ... this is top of the agenda. "What this will mean is that someone who is banned in one state or territory is banned in all states and territories." Ms Rowland said a lack of a national scheme for working with children checks put young people at risk. The attorney-general said she was hopeful a national scheme would be in place within 12 months. It comes as a NSW parliamentary inquiry on Thursday was told childcare centres were not checking whether staff were allowed to work with children before they were hired. The inquiry was also told banned worker were able to work in the industry for years without oversight. Liberal senator Jane Hume said a national scheme should have been implemented with "more urgency" when the coalition were last in government. "This is the right approach, to get a nationally uniform approach to working with children checks," she told Seven's Sunrise program. Laws passed by the federal parliament in July will strip funding from childcare centres not meeting compliance. Education ministers will also meet next week to consider further child safety laws for childcare centres. Among the measures being considered are use of CCTV in centres, as well as mandatory child safety training. Current working with children check laws are "hopeless", the prime minister concedes, as Australia's top legal advisors meet to consider a national scheme. Federal Attorney-General Michelle Rowland is meeting with state and territory counterparts in Sydney on Friday to discuss setting up a national system for working with children checks. Calls for a unified system have been growing following multiple reports of abuse in childcare centres. In one instance, a Victorian childcare worker was still allowed to retain his working with children check and work in the industry despite a major provider substantiating grooming allegations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the reports were shocking and indicated more needed to be done to fix working with children checks. "It's hopeless, and we need to do better, quite clearly, and these revelations are a wake-up call for state and territory governments in terms of the regulations," he told ABC Radio on Friday. "The reports that we've seen recently have shocked parents and every parent's worst nightmare. That's why we are taking action at the national level." Recommendations for a national working with children check scheme were made in the findings of the 2017 royal commission into child sexual abuse. Ms Rowland conceded the reform had not happened quickly enough. "All representatives of states and territories are united in the goal of making this system better and making it safer for children, which should be our top priority," she told ABC Radio. "I acknowledged this has taken too long, but I wish to reassure Australians that ... this is top of the agenda. "What this will mean is that someone who is banned in one state or territory is banned in all states and territories." Ms Rowland said a lack of a national scheme for working with children checks put young people at risk. The attorney-general said she was hopeful a national scheme would be in place within 12 months. It comes as a NSW parliamentary inquiry on Thursday was told childcare centres were not checking whether staff were allowed to work with children before they were hired. The inquiry was also told banned worker were able to work in the industry for years without oversight. Liberal senator Jane Hume said a national scheme should have been implemented with "more urgency" when the coalition were last in government. "This is the right approach, to get a nationally uniform approach to working with children checks," she told Seven's Sunrise program. Laws passed by the federal parliament in July will strip funding from childcare centres not meeting compliance. Education ministers will also meet next week to consider further child safety laws for childcare centres. Among the measures being considered are use of CCTV in centres, as well as mandatory child safety training. Current working with children check laws are "hopeless", the prime minister concedes, as Australia's top legal advisors meet to consider a national scheme. Federal Attorney-General Michelle Rowland is meeting with state and territory counterparts in Sydney on Friday to discuss setting up a national system for working with children checks. Calls for a unified system have been growing following multiple reports of abuse in childcare centres. In one instance, a Victorian childcare worker was still allowed to retain his working with children check and work in the industry despite a major provider substantiating grooming allegations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the reports were shocking and indicated more needed to be done to fix working with children checks. "It's hopeless, and we need to do better, quite clearly, and these revelations are a wake-up call for state and territory governments in terms of the regulations," he told ABC Radio on Friday. "The reports that we've seen recently have shocked parents and every parent's worst nightmare. That's why we are taking action at the national level." Recommendations for a national working with children check scheme were made in the findings of the 2017 royal commission into child sexual abuse. Ms Rowland conceded the reform had not happened quickly enough. "All representatives of states and territories are united in the goal of making this system better and making it safer for children, which should be our top priority," she told ABC Radio. "I acknowledged this has taken too long, but I wish to reassure Australians that ... this is top of the agenda. "What this will mean is that someone who is banned in one state or territory is banned in all states and territories." Ms Rowland said a lack of a national scheme for working with children checks put young people at risk. The attorney-general said she was hopeful a national scheme would be in place within 12 months. It comes as a NSW parliamentary inquiry on Thursday was told childcare centres were not checking whether staff were allowed to work with children before they were hired. The inquiry was also told banned worker were able to work in the industry for years without oversight. Liberal senator Jane Hume said a national scheme should have been implemented with "more urgency" when the coalition were last in government. "This is the right approach, to get a nationally uniform approach to working with children checks," she told Seven's Sunrise program. Laws passed by the federal parliament in July will strip funding from childcare centres not meeting compliance. Education ministers will also meet next week to consider further child safety laws for childcare centres. Among the measures being considered are use of CCTV in centres, as well as mandatory child safety training. Current working with children check laws are "hopeless", the prime minister concedes, as Australia's top legal advisors meet to consider a national scheme. Federal Attorney-General Michelle Rowland is meeting with state and territory counterparts in Sydney on Friday to discuss setting up a national system for working with children checks. Calls for a unified system have been growing following multiple reports of abuse in childcare centres. In one instance, a Victorian childcare worker was still allowed to retain his working with children check and work in the industry despite a major provider substantiating grooming allegations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the reports were shocking and indicated more needed to be done to fix working with children checks. "It's hopeless, and we need to do better, quite clearly, and these revelations are a wake-up call for state and territory governments in terms of the regulations," he told ABC Radio on Friday. "The reports that we've seen recently have shocked parents and every parent's worst nightmare. That's why we are taking action at the national level." Recommendations for a national working with children check scheme were made in the findings of the 2017 royal commission into child sexual abuse. Ms Rowland conceded the reform had not happened quickly enough. "All representatives of states and territories are united in the goal of making this system better and making it safer for children, which should be our top priority," she told ABC Radio. "I acknowledged this has taken too long, but I wish to reassure Australians that ... this is top of the agenda. "What this will mean is that someone who is banned in one state or territory is banned in all states and territories." Ms Rowland said a lack of a national scheme for working with children checks put young people at risk. The attorney-general said she was hopeful a national scheme would be in place within 12 months. It comes as a NSW parliamentary inquiry on Thursday was told childcare centres were not checking whether staff were allowed to work with children before they were hired. The inquiry was also told banned worker were able to work in the industry for years without oversight. Liberal senator Jane Hume said a national scheme should have been implemented with "more urgency" when the coalition were last in government. "This is the right approach, to get a nationally uniform approach to working with children checks," she told Seven's Sunrise program. Laws passed by the federal parliament in July will strip funding from childcare centres not meeting compliance. Education ministers will also meet next week to consider further child safety laws for childcare centres. Among the measures being considered are use of CCTV in centres, as well as mandatory child safety training.
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
Legal top guns target national working with kids scheme
Current working with children check laws are "hopeless", the prime minister concedes, as Australia's top legal advisors meet to consider a national scheme. Federal Attorney-General Michelle Rowland is meeting with state and territory counterparts in Sydney on Friday to discuss setting up a national system for working with children checks. Calls for a unified system have been growing following multiple reports of abuse in childcare centres. In one instance, a Victorian childcare worker was still allowed to retain his working with children check and work in the industry despite a major provider substantiating grooming allegations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the reports were shocking and indicated more needed to be done to fix working with children checks. "It's hopeless, and we need to do better, quite clearly, and these revelations are a wake-up call for state and territory governments in terms of the regulations," he told ABC Radio on Friday. "The reports that we've seen recently have shocked parents and every parent's worst nightmare. That's why we are taking action at the national level." Recommendations for a national working with children check scheme were made in the findings of the 2017 royal commission into child sexual abuse. Ms Rowland conceded the reform had not happened quickly enough. "All representatives of states and territories are united in the goal of making this system better and making it safer for children, which should be our top priority," she told ABC Radio. "I acknowledged this has taken too long, but I wish to reassure Australians that ... this is top of the agenda. "What this will mean is that someone who is banned in one state or territory is banned in all states and territories." Ms Rowland said a lack of a national scheme for working with children checks put young people at risk. The attorney-general said she was hopeful a national scheme would be in place within 12 months. It comes as a NSW parliamentary inquiry on Thursday was told childcare centres were not checking whether staff were allowed to work with children before they were hired. The inquiry was also told banned worker were able to work in the industry for years without oversight. Liberal senator Jane Hume said a national scheme should have been implemented with "more urgency" when the coalition were last in government. "This is the right approach, to get a nationally uniform approach to working with children checks," she told Seven's Sunrise program. Laws passed by the federal parliament in July will strip funding from childcare centres not meeting compliance. Education ministers will also meet next week to consider further child safety laws for childcare centres. Among the measures being considered are use of CCTV in centres, as well as mandatory child safety training.
Sky News AU
4 hours ago
- Sky News AU
‘Failure of leadership': Jacinta Allan accused of putting children ‘at risk' after latest Working With Children Check revelations
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has been accused of putting children at risk after the Labor leader was unable to guarantee a former childcare worker sacked for sexual misconduct would have his Working With Children's Check (WWCC) cancelled. The ABC revealed on Wednesday that a Victorian childcare worker had been blacklisted from the industry in 2020 over accusations of grooming, kissing toddlers, and attempting to organise unsanctioned catch-ups and offer babysitting services. When alerted to the incident, Premier Allan said the process to cancel the man's WWCC was underway. However on Thursday the Victorian Premier was unable to provide a timeline for how long the process would take - or provide a guarantee the man would indeed be stripped of his WWCC. 'What's occurred here is just not acceptable. It demonstrates why the system needs to be strengthened and why we have taken action to strengthen the system and more will be done when we receive the rapid review report,' Ms Allan told reporters. 'In regards to this individual, the advice I had yesterday remains the advice today; that urgent steps are being taken to go through the process of cancelling this particular individual's Working With Children's Check as soon as possible.' Pressed on the timeline for a decision, the Victorian Premier said she was 'just not in a position to comment on individual cases'. The comments prompted a heated response from the Victorian Opposition, with Shadow Attorney General Michael O'Brien and Shadow Education Minister Jess Willson accusing the Premier of placing children at 'unacceptable risk'. 'Premier Jacinta Allan's continued refusal to take decisive action to protect children in childcare and educational settings is a failure of leadership,' the two Shadow Ministers said in a joint statement. 'More than 24 hours on from revelations that an individual dismissed from a childcare centre for grooming and kissing children still has an active Working With Children Check and the Premier still cannot guarantee when this individual's WWCC will be revoked.' The opposition frontbenchers said the loopholes that enabled the situation to occur would have been addressed by a bill introduced in Parliament by the Liberals and Nationals last week. 'Instead of supporting this new legislation, Premier Jacinta Allan blocked these laws and continues to place children at unacceptable risk,' they said. 'The Premier and Victorian Government must put politics aside, work with the Parliament and pass these laws now." The Victorian government is also under pressure to release the findings of its Rapid Child Safety Review as soon as possible. The review was launched after shocking allegations against Victorian childcare Worker Joshua Brown, who worked across 23 childcare centres and has been charged with more than 70 offences, including sexual assault. Premier Allan said on Thursday the report would be released "as soon as possible" but the government needed time to consider the findings. 'There will need to be a period of time for the government to consider and provide its thoughtful, detailed response to the rapid review,'Ms Allan said. 'But I want that response to be as soon as possible – not weeks.'
