And what should concern the Tories is that as an implementation minister, Gladys Berejiklian has been the biggest failure of all of the ministers.
The Southeast Light Rail is her project. Her baby.
As Transport Minister she conceived of it, procured it, presided over the so called community consultation, signed the contracts. Here is the state of her project as we sit here tonight.
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The cost has blown out from $1.6 to $2.1 billion. The Premier lied about the reasons for the blowout and got caught out.
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800 trees along the route have been removed including century-old trees that saw the Anzacs off to war in 1915 and welcomed them home again.
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Bus stops along Anzac Parade are presently 400 metres apart. Young and old people have access to a bus stop. The light rail stops will be 900 to 1000 metres apart.
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The light rail will carry only slightly more passengers than buses but 4 lanes of road space have been removed.
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Despite being under construction, traffic modelling has still not been done on major intersections. And the benefits and costs the Auditor General said should be published by last December? Still a secret.
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The project is sending businesses from George Street to Kingsford broke all along the route.
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The capacity of the light rail can never be expanded and like her trains to the Blue Mountains which can’t fit through the tunnels, this light rail can never be integrated into the existing light rail network in Sydney because it has different specifications.
And now she is running the entire show.
Make no mistake, this is a bizarre time. It’s not normal.
But it’s instructive - a full-blown study of cashed-up Tories in action.
A living display of what conservatives will do when they pursue their party DNA, their belief systems.
An incompetent, egotistical, contemptuous wrecking ball across Sydney.
That’s life under Gladys Berejiklian. How is that Liberal Party broad church looking now?
Labor’s alternative
The conservatives accept inequality as the natural order of things. It is not. Inequality is man-made.
Children aren’t born racist, or sexist, or cruel, or greedy ... These traits are all learned.
The unequal aspects of our society, of our economic relations, were made by those who held the upper hand, and this has been re- engineered and transmitted from one generation to the next. Labor tempers that behaviour.
If we are elected to Government in 2019 we will govern from day one in accordance with our century-old philosophy that puts, people,
their interest, their hopes and endeavours and their rights directly at the heart of our decision-making.
We will seize the chance to ensure that broad consultation, transparency, and a commitment to act on the crucial issues of fairness and equity for the benefit of the people are not just essential Labor principles but the hallmarks of a good government.
Labor recognises that in a market economy, Government has a role to play to ensure that the market serves the interests of the people, and that to do so, from time to time it must be tempered, it must be civilised.
Labor seeks Government because our mission is never complete.
And we consider that good, effective and honest government is a fundamental right of each citizen.
We will start by restoring pride to the public sector and close the door on the endless stream of wasteful consultancies. We will nurture our workforce as an invaluable resource. We will stop the brain drain and restore skilful and talented people to each Government department.
We will end the cloistered madness of the Berejiklian Government and restore integrity to the Cabinet processes.
We will act decisively on housing affordability.
We will be a Government that considers the good will of the people are valuable as civic assets of the State.
That is why it is so important that Labor seizes this moment in time for what it is – an opportunity to present a long-term vision for NSW.
We have had so many successes over the last century. But there is so much more to do, because the settings and contours of our society keep changing – through external social and cultural influences, and economic winds from other countries.
But one thing remains unchanging. Labor’s commitment: to provide social and political stability. To protect the vulnerable, to challenge the power of those who hold the economic cards, or think they do, and ensure that everyone gets a fair deal – regardless of where you were born or live, who your parents are, or where they came from, their colour, religion or other beliefs, everyone should get an equal start and – when life sends you challenges, when you face adversity, to ensure there is someone to catch your fall, to give you a hand up.
This is our creed.
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