Dear editor,
Before the privatisation of the metropolitan rail network, both print and electronic media regularly headlined their reports with: dwindling passenger numbers, train driver strikes, fare increases, service reductions, late trains and annual losses.
Throughout the four years of the Keolis Downer contract, which ended in February 2025, unless I am mistaken, these types of reports were virtually non-existent.
‘Arrival times are off the rails – complaints soaring’ (The Advertiser, 7 November), now reports that complaints about punctuality have increased by 87 per cent, poor security services by 40 per cent and poor cleanliness by 40 per cent in comparison to the previous year, when under the control of Keolis Downer.
The Keolis Downer $2.14bn contract was performance-based, which financially penalised them if targets were not met, and applied pressure on them to provide higher levels of service to South Australian public transport commuters.
In a questionable attempt to dismiss this dramatic increase in complaints, Transport Minister Emily Bourke explained that the number of complaints was very few – “one in every 3500 journeys” – and gave no assurance that improvements would be made or expected.
Premier Malinauskas proudly exhorted, when announcing the return of the public rail network to government control, that the trains would now run safely, punctually and efficiently.
Will this now go the way of ambulance ramping and be placed in the too-hard basket?
Ian Macgowan, Ceduna
Net zero power play
Dear editor,
Rather than meaningless compromises that won’t heal or convince anyone, could the Liberals allow a conscience vote on net zero?
I think the answer is no.
The realpolitik is that there’s no issue here they would want to vote on in Parliament or even put to a referendum. It’s a power play.
Jim Allen, Panorama
