Today, NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has announced an independent inquiry into the Assisted School Travel Program following its bungled handling of transition to new contractual arrangements.
The move for an inquiry has been criticised by Labor leader John Robertson, who's party while in government instigated the tender process.
Transport providers under the scheme (formerly the Special Needs Transport Service) have had to tender for runs under the new scheme, with the tender process commencing in late 2010. After the department realised it didn't have enough contractors in all regions it issued another tender in November 2011.
According to a source in the Assisted Travel Unit, the tendering of placement on an eligibility list every five years was supposed to weed out those defrauding the department and not providing an adequate level of service.
Instead, a number of operators around the state have been left short by the department, either not being awarded contracts or making their contracts financially unviable. These honest operators have been shafted while corrupt organisations such as Carenne Support Limited and Capebase have been rewarded.
Carenne Support, an organisation which has ripped off the former SNTS program, has refused to transport certain students, is under investigation by the ICAC, had a director assault a former employee, failed to comply with company law, has ripped off its employees and allowed staff to assault students has been awarded three runs this year, while Capebase, another organisation who defrauded the department has been awarded at least 25 through-out NSW.
One parent with a student on Capebase's Blayney run was contacted on Sunday and told her daughter couldn't attend school today because an escort could not be found and would not be able to travel on transport ordinarily provided by the department until one was found. There has been a long-standing problem getting escorts, which are paid just over $12 per hour.
The problems with the assisted school travel program are long-standing and all aspects of it should be reviewed.
Monday, January 30, 2012
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