Brisbane Transport Buses: Privatise or Not?

[HappyTrainGuy]

Blissfull arrogance at its finest right here ladies and gentlemen.

[#Metro]

The poll is now closed. The question is resolved in the affirmative.

[somebody]

Blissfull arrogance at its finest right here ladies and gentlemen.

Yeah well I say that your usual p%ss poor defence of mediocrity is on display.

Queenslander!

[cartoonbirdhaus]

Queenslander!

I'm not: My family tree forks!

[colinw]

I'm locking this, ozbob can unlock again if he disagrees with me.

All, please have a good hard think about the tone of your postings. Frankly the last two pages are a very poor image for this group, and I am disappointed to be reading it.

[ozbob]

Thread locked for 24 hours.  There are some strong sentiments around at the moment with the bus review and other issues such as privatisation.

Occasionally it is a good idea to ease back for a while ..

[Gazza]

My thoughts, I'd be happy for a sort of revenue swap...State Govt assumes the role of funding buses in the BCC area.
The left over funds BCC are no longer paying would go towards bus stop upgrades, bus interchanges, and rail grade sepping.

[#Metro]

- From a cost/revenue point of view it also doesn't make sense for BCC to operate buses and ferries as the subsidy is probably dispropotionally born on BCC ratepayer, so other council ratepayers pay once, BCC rate payers pay twice. If the state is paying the subsidy argument is case closed.

The bus operations are becoming quite large and is distracting the council from it's core operations - city planning and regulation, services etc. Things like bus driver super cost blowouts etc - if it was private none of the time in the council chamber would be spent on this company management issues.

The main reason why BCC wants to keep it is because it's a power and control thing. It's also super useful during election time to invent yet another bus route, ramm it through, pay only a fraction of the cost, lump the rest of the cost on to the state and then announce it as a BCC initiative. What a rort!!

The simple fact that the state owns the buses is a godsend! This means that the bulk assets are only really various plant (depots) and staff etc... so it should not cost heaps to take that over.

[#Metro]

Seems BCC is feeling the cost pressures

Brisbane ratepayers can expect more belt tightening when the council hands down its budget in a fortnight.
At Tuesday's meeting at City Hall, Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the budget would be "responsible", but cast against the backdrop of miserable economic conditions.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/council-to-tighten-budget-purse-strings-20130528-2n9if.html