Jon Stanhope has admitted he is unable to control his own Department’s spending while Canberrans pay massive taxes on homes and cars, said Alistair Coe, Shadow Minister for Transport Services.

In his own press release, the Chief Minister has cited numerous problems with ACTION which sits entirely within his own Territory and Municipal Services Department. (Stanhope Release: Benchmarking shows room for bus efficiencies, 7/5/10).

“After more than eight years as Chief Minister and a year and a half as Minister with responsibility for ACTION, Canberrans are paying massive taxes on homes and cars while Mr Stanhope admits he still cannot rein in the wasted expenditure of his bureaucracy,” Mr Coe said.

“Rather than cut down on the wasteful expenditure and manage his department through usual methods, Mr Stanhope has had to threaten ACTION through the media in a desperate attempt to reign in spending and inefficiencies within ACTION.

“The Chief Minister is responsible for the leadership and direction of ACTION and even he admits spending is out of control. Canberrans are paying more for basic services, more for parking and more on public transport, because of ACT Labor’s self -confessed wasteful spending.

“Jon Stanhope and ACT Labor are trying to push people out of their cars and onto buses with higher parking costs – yet by his own admission, ACTION isn’t working.”

In an answer to Mr Coe on 20 August, Mr Stanhope said:

The information on benchmarking of ACTION bus services is considered commercial in confidence as it contains information about private sector operators in the industry.

The average performance benchmarks are not available as the consultant conducting the benchmarking for bus operators around Australia requires all participants to maintain information as commercial in confidence.

“Mr Stanhope needs to explain why he is now able to release the information when he was unable to do so upon my request.

“Mr Stanhope is the third ACT Labor Transport Minister since 2001 to have not been able to beat the TWU in an arm-wrestle over ACTION, and it’s Canberrans that are paying for these inefficiencies,” concluded Mr Coe.