Re: Question about Victorian government & PT in Melbourne

["Joeb Black" <joeblacks_s@hotmail.com>]

I dont know a lot in detail about all this, but i do know some. The
contracts made, like any contract, cannot be brocken by either
party...meaning that the State Government cannot ammend without the
permission of the party(ies) concerned. The contacts are policed by the
transport ombudsman, who reports to government any complaints and
investigations into matters and complaints. So that if it is found that the
operator has breached they will be penalised, mainly in the form of monetary
or in the extreme (major breaches) in forms of court action. If the
Government suddenly decides that it wants to return the control and
management to the state, then it may only be under major breaches, or in
best interest of public, where is is proven. It cannot just snatch it off
the opperators for no big reason, they have rights too you know.



Bradley Torr <truenorth@one.net.au.SPAMTRAP> wrote in message
01c0f247$5a4d7780$c73e0c3d@default">news:01c0f247$5a4d7780$c73e0c3d@default...
> Hi,
>
> I have a couple of questions regarding public transport policy and
> legislation in Victoria, which I am sure the more politically interested
> participants of this newsgroup could answer.
>
> * The current party standings in the Legislative Assembly of the Victorian
> Parliament are: ALP 44, LIB 35, NAT 6, IND 3 (for a total of 88 seats).
Now
> that the Liberal-National Coalition has been dissolved, it is possible for
> the Labor Government to amend public transport legislation in the Lower
> House with the support of at least one independent or the National Party.
> However, the Legislative Council - the Upper House - is much trickier. The
> current composition of the Upper House is ALP 14, LIB 24, NAT 6 with a
> total of 44 seats. Even in the unlikely circumstance of the ALP and the
> Nats joining forces, they still wouldn't have the strength of numbers to
> pass a Bill into law. My question regarding this issue is thus - is the
> current Bracks ALP Government only governing within the framework of the
> legislation passed by Kennett? Has any legislation - not just legislation
> relating to transportation - been passed since September 1999?
>
> * What is the name of the Act of Parliament which gave Kennett's
Government
> the right to enter into contracts with private enterprise to provide
public
> transportation services to the Victorian travelling public? I would like
to
> read it in detail should I ever have the disposition.
>
> * Can these contracts be amended during the term of the contract
> unilaterally by the Bracks Government, or must the current Government wait
> until the contracts (with ten year terms, if this writer recalls
correctly)
> have expired to impose new terms on the contract holders?
>
> * Is it possible at all under the current public transport contract régime
> to bring public transport services back into state ownership?
>
> * Who is responsible for the policing of the contracts, and what can
happen
> if it is proven that a private public transport operator wilfully breached
> its contract with the State Government?
>
> Thanks to those who take the time to satiate my curiosity by answering
> these questions. I would also like to compare public transport operating
> régimes with those in other states, including mine (New South Wales).
>
> Regards
> BT
>