Steven Marshall’s battered and scandal-prone government must prove that it’s prepared to put the people of South Australia first if it is to regain the community’s trust.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) SA/NT Secretary Darren Phillips today said the ‘resignation’ of Transport Minister Stephan Knoll would fix nothing unless his dodgy and secretive privatisation agenda went with him.tt

“The people of South Australia know all too well what happens when you privatise essential services.  Jobs are lost, the cost goes up, and service standards fall.

“In good times, privatisation is foolish.  In bad times it is a disaster.

“Privatisation will see responsibility for keeping public transport safe during the pandemic outsourced to private contractors.

“Given the outsourcing of hotel quarantine has been blamed for the crippling COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria, it is extraordinary that the Marshall Government wants to go down the same perilous path.

“And given the diabolical economic implications of the pandemic crisis, with the state being plunged into recession, it is galling that the Marshall Government wants to put the jobs of South Australian transport workers at risk.

“The privatisation of the tram system saw the number of tram drivers cut by ten per cent."

Had a gutful

Darren Phillips said it was clear from the expenses scandal that members of the Marshall Government felt they were entitled to use public resources and assets as their own personal playthings.

“The people of South Australians have had an absolute gutful of it," Darren said.

“If Steven Marshall wants the community to trust him again, then he must show that he is prepared to put the community’s needs first.

“He must abandon his transport privatisation agenda immediately.”