The NSW transport minister, David Elliott delivered a heated press conference on the morning of February 21 in response to the surprise suspension of rail services across the Greater Sydney region. Elliott accused the Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) of playing “silly games at short notice, putting services at risk,” while confirming that it was the government-administered agency Transport for NSW, rather than the union, that decided rail services could not proceed as normal due to safety concerns.
Elliott also accused the union of ‘a breach of trust’ over talks about the enterprise agreement currently being negotiated, saying that conditions agreed on Saturday, February 19 were “deliberately misinterpreted” by the RTBU, leading to a stalemate late on Sunday, February 20. However, Elliott evaded questions about the nature of the misunderstanding, referring journalists to Destination NSW and the industrial commission investigating the causes of the rail suspension.
The union had a strike action planned for February 21, which it claimed would not impact commuters. However, Transport for NSW deemed that this industrial action would lead to unsafe conditions for commuters, prompting the government agency to shut down the rail network. It is unclear when rail services will resume.