RTBU Plans Election blitz

Transport issues to be front and centre in Federal election campaign

The RTBU is planning a coordinated national campaign called Put Transport Back in the Fast Lane to make sure pollies take transport seriously during the upcoming federal election.

National Secretary Mark Diamond said transport should be one of the top issues for voters right around the country.

“While much of Australia was in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s transport networks kept on going.

“But the reality is that many of those networks are slow, congested, and falling apart.

“That has an impact on the cost of living, on the amount of time people can spend with their families, and the health of the overall economy.

“We’ll be calling on politicians to back new projects for rail freight and public transport, and to support the growth of good secure jobs in the transport sector.”

Mark said the campaign would be built on grass-roots activism, with local teams getting out in their communities. Election candidates will be invited to sign the ‘Fast Lane pledge’, and voters will be told which candidates have signed up - and which ones haven’t.

“The Federal election is likely to be very tight, and every vote will count.

“Politicians will be listening – so there’s no better time for the voices of transport workers and their families to be heard.”

The FAST LANE Pledge for Federal Candidates

I pledge to support measures that lead to faster, safer and better passenger and freight transport networks across Australia, including:

» Building more trains, trams and buses in Australia;

» Increasing Federal investment in public transport to provide Australians with better access to services and reduce our transport-related greenhouse gas emissions;

» Developing a long-term plan to grow jobs in the rail freight sector

» Better integration of rail, rail, sea and air transport; and

» Ensuring people doing the same job have the same pay and same standards of workplace safety.