Sydney Trains 'planned for two-week shutdown' before rail chaos
Fair Work Commission documents tabled today in NSW Parliament have revealed Sydney Trains had been preparing to shut down the network from as early as Thursday last week, four days before Monday's chaos.
Both the NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and NSW Transport Minister David Elliott claimed they knew nothing of these plans until they woke on Monday morning.
Opposition Leader Chris Minns confronted the government in Parliament today upon the revelations.
READ MORE: First explosions and air raid sirens heard in Ukraine after Russia declares 'military action'
Boards at Central Station during the shutdown. Kate Geraghty
"Is it true that the government made the decision last Thursday to shutdown the rail network not for a day, but for two weeks, starting Monday?" Mr Minns said.
"Not to my knowledge," replied the premier.
The documents revealed modelling was prepared, outlining a $370 million cost of a fortnight-long shutdown and its 1.6 million passenger impact.
"Is it really true that all of these people knew about a two-week shutdown, all over your government, but you had no idea?" Mr Minns said.
The premier was adamant "that the decision to do that would not have happened but for the actions of the union movement on Sunday".
Sydney's train network came grinding to a halt this week after disputes between the state government and Rail, Tram and Bus Union broke down. 9News
READ MORE: One of our largest construction companies plunged into administration
While Mr Elliott slept on Sunday night, the plug was pulled and the deal was dropped.
"David Elliott has to go," Mr Minns said.
"The Minister for Transport said he had no idea that could happen.
"Clearly that was - if not the inevitable outcome of those negotiations - clearly, foreseeable."
The NSW Government is now scrambling to put together a compensation package.
It is considering half-price peak hour fares for a month, as well as free weekend travel.
Share a tip-off, video or photo with us
Most viewed in Australia
Australian woman who died after falling from cliff near Bali was Queensland ecologist
PM ‘stunned’ over Pauline Hanson’s attack on his late mother
One Nation’s drastic plan to slash migration by 750,000 slammed by farmers
Sydney family’s warning after discovering father’s lost super years after his death
