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Showing posts with label #Australia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #Australia. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

How the rail union’s latest industrial action could cost the NSW government $2 million a day

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A rail union plan to shut down the NSW transport network’s Opal card readers is set to cost the government about $2 million every day.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) is pushing ahead with a plan to deactivate the state’s Opal readers, preventing commuters from tapping on to pay for trips, as part of its ongoing industrial action.

Over the weekend, the union withdrew its original application to switch off the readers after – filing a new application on Monday.

Treasurer Matt Kean says shutting off the Opal card readers will deprive the state of funds to pay aggrieved train drivers, with the money needed by the government to fund essential services.

What will it cost the government?

Deactivating the readers on Sydney trains and the metro would cost the government between $1.5m and $2m in lost revenue every day, AAP understands.
The action would cost the government approximately $50 million if the shutdown continued for a month.

“My message to the RTBU is: stop using the public as your political playthings,” Mr Kean told reporters on Tuesday.

“It’s got to stop. We will continue to stand up for the people of this state and call out their disgraceful behaviour.”
On Monday, RTBU secretary Alex Claassens said he was confident the new filing would be successful.

Premier Dominic Perrottet says the government is poised to react if there is any more industrial action or if commuters are unable to pay for trips.

“If that action is taken, either a further strike which … inconveniences people across the state, we will seek to terminate that agreement in the Fair Work Commission (FWC),” he told 2GB on Tuesday.

“Any industrial activity taken on the metro system which is costing taxpayers billions, then we will also seek to terminate.”

Why is this happening?

The premier first threatened to terminate the agreement after a month of industrial action in August if there was further action.
The union said it was confident it would prevail and have the readers switched off as it continues its long industrial campaign over the safety of a new intercity train fleet and wages and conditions for workers.

The union believes its new application to switch off the readers will stand up.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet says a rail union plan to shut down the Opal network will affect pay negotiations. Source: AAP / BIANCA DE MARCHI

“It was just a last-minute desperate bid to try and stop us from locking those gates open and allowing the commuters of NSW to travel for free,” Mr Claassens said.

A decision over whether the Opal scanners can be shut down will be made during a hearing in the FWC in the next 24 hours.

If the commission accepts the action, the readers will be switched off 10 days later.

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Qantas stops serving vegetarian meals on some domestic flights

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Passengers with dietary requirements on some are no longer being offered options that meet their needs on certain domestic routes.

It comes after a series of issues and complaints from frustrated passengers who have endured delayed and cancelled flights, long queues at airports and lost baggage with the carrier in recent months.
Twitter user John Dee was informed the airline was no longer offering vegetarian options while on a flight from Adelaide to Sydney on Sunday.
“I’m on the Adelaide to Sydney flight – I’m informed that Qantas no longer serve vegetarian food on domestic lights (except Perth),” he wrote.

“Crew said ‘one size fits all’.”

His tweet attracted hundreds of responses from passengers echoing his frustration.
“I had the same experience on two Qantas flights last month,” .
“It was chicken on one and ham on the other. They offered me small bags of soy rice crackers, clearly the equivalent of hot snacks.”
A Qantas spokesperson said during the COVID-19 pandemic, the carrier made some changes to its onboard food and service offerings to simplify the service delivery for crew members.

“We now offer a single meal/snack option per flight on our shorter flights, such as a chicken pie or a zucchini and onion frittata,” the spokesperson said.

“If the option on a particular flight is not suitable for vegetarians, we try to offer an alternative of a small sweet or savoury snack which is vegetarian.”
On longer domestic and international flights, the spokesperson said customers can pre-book a range of meals including vegan and gluten and dairy-free options.
In August, Qantas declared “the existential crisis posed by the pandemic (is) now over”, with its net loss after tax for the year to 30 June narrowed to $860 million, compared to $1.7 billion the year before.

The airline said it would now focus on responding to current operational challenges.

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Queensland spit hood ban ‘right decision’ for community, police say

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 Queensland police admit banning the use of spit hoods in watchhouses was not easy, but it was the right decision for the community.

Use of the controversial restraint has been effectively outlawed in Queensland watchhouses, but they can still be deployed in prisons and correction centres.
The hoods, which are made of fabric and placed over a detainee’s head to stop them from spitting or biting, are .
Acting Deputy Commissioner Mark Wheeler said the decision to discontinue the use of spit hoods followed extensive consultation with the Queensland Police Union, other jurisdictions, and government agencies.
“This is an emotive and complex issue, as we also need to balance the safety of our watch staff, which is absolutely vital, and remains front of mind at all times,” he said.
Mr Wheeler said being spat on was a stressful experience for police.

“I think everyone would agree spitting is an abhorrent act,” he said.

“The ramifications of being exposed to bodily fluids is certainly a significant safety risk for our police.
“I’ve been spat on personally on a number of occasions. What happens from that perspective is you need to deal with the person and the situation.

“You then, of course, need to be decontaminated. You then undergo a disease test order, which could take some time to come back, to make sure that you haven’t actually caught anything from that person, so it’s a stressful situation.”

Police will now be trained to use alternative protection against spitting as protective screens are installed in watchhouses across the state.
Mr Wheeler said the decision was in direct response to community concerns, but it was still a complex issue.

“This is not an easy decision, but we believe it’s the right decision going forward,” he said.








Wiradjuri, Wirangu and Kokatha man Wayne Fella Morrison, right, died in custody at Adelaide’s Yatala prison 2016 after being made to wear a spit hood. Source: Supplied

“It is about responding to concerns in the community and advocacy groups and aligning our practices with other jurisdictions.”

However, spit hoods can still be used by Queensland corrective services officers, a practice that is also under review.
“Safety hoods are presently used as a last-resort preventative measure on prisoners that spit or bite, or attempt to spit at or bite officers,” a corrective services spokesman said.
“Queensland Corrective Services is currently reviewing its processes and policies in relation to individuals who bite or spit at officers.”

Spit hoods have been used across the state 138 times between 2015 and 2022, after being introduced in 2009.

The use of spit hoods and restraint chairs was described as inhumane by a 2017 royal commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory, which recommended their use be ended.
The NT government is also reportedly considering alternatives to using spit hoods on young people in police custody.

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