Victor P Taffa

According to the NSW Audit Office there are a number of Transport Agencies that now come under the umbrella of Transport NSW and the NSW Minister for Transport.

As all New South Wales voters have seen since 1995 is a complete lack of direction and delivery on the construction of new Railway Lines. In fact this problem goes back many decades while the Labor Party has been in Office for most of this time.

Transport Services Overview

TRANSPORT SERVICES

Transport New South Wales (TNSW), a budget sector agency, and the following Government entities provide, facilitate and regulate the State’s transport services:

Statutory Authorities

• Chief Investigator of the Office of Transport Safety Investigations (OTSI)
• Independent Transport Safety Regulator (ITSR)
• Public Transport Ticketing Corporation (PTTC)
• Rail Corporation New South Wales (RailCorp)(a)
• State Transit Authority (State Transit)(b)
• Sydney Ferries
• Sydney Metro (SM)
• Rail Infrastructure Corporation (RIC)(c)
• Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation (TIDC)(d)
• Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA)

(a) RailCorp includes CityRail and CountryLink.

(b) State Transit includes Sydney Buses, Western Sydney Buses, and Newcastle Buses and Ferries.

(c) Now known as the Country Rail Infrastructure Authority (CRIA)

(d) Now known as the Transport Construction Authority (TCA)

The Transport Administration Amendment Act 2010 commenced on 1 July 2010 and established a new framework for the administration and governance of the delivery of transport services and infrastructure by public transport agencies.

TNSW is the lead transport agency with primary responsibility for transport policy, planning and coordination functions as well as oversight of infrastructure delivery and asset management. The streamlined transport structure is designed to deliver integrated transport planning and service delivery, and consolidation of similar functions to reduce costs and provide additional funds for front line staff and services.

The change to the legislation gives TNSW, through the direction of the Director General, responsibility for a limited range of functions as outlined above. For the year end 30 June 2011, TNSW will control most public transport agencies for consolidation purposes.

RIC and TIDC became statutory authorities on 1 July 2010 under the Transport Administration Amendment Act 2010. Both agencies were previously not for profit State owned corporations.

AUDIT OPINIONS

The audits of the above entities’ financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2010 resulted in unqualified Independent Auditor’s Reports.

KEY ISSUES

Cost Recovery from Users

The transport services sector incorporates rail, bus and ferry services. As well as providing direct benefits to users, these services generate substantial indirect benefits to the wider community (including reduced: road congestion; traffic accidents; and greenhouse gas emissions). These external benefits are funded by taxpayers through government subsidies.

• None of the listed Transport Agencies have seen any new Railway Lines built and most announced by the NSW Government are listed for 2024 or beyond.

• No amount of structural reform of a bureaucracy can get away from the fact that there is a distinct lack of political will to build any new Railway Lines. If there was such willpower the time lines for new Railway Lines would be within a 4 year time frame.

• Since January 2001 Editor Victor P Taffa has supported a Railway Construction Act and an Integrated Ticketing System. These Plans were placed on www.isput.com.au in February 2009 and The Detailed Overview Report outlines these Plans in full.

Railway Construction Act

LEGISLATION:

Minister for Railways

With a comprehensive Rail expansion programme over the next 30 years, there will be a need to have a Minister for Railways at the Cabinet Table as well as a Minister for Transport.

The Minister would have a single Department which would incorporate the Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation.

Currently the Transport Minister is responsible for Trains, Buses, Ferries, Hire cars and Taxis. This Ministerial workload is enormous and there would be great advantages on many fronts to split the Railways from the Transport Portfolio.

Current legislative requirements place too many hurdles in the way for new railway lines to be built and so the NSW Parliament in order to construct new railway lines would need to enact new legislation. During the construction phase of the existing rail network, no doubt there was special legislation in place as well as a Department of Railways and a Minister for Railways. While the reintroduction of a Minister and Railways Department may not be necessary, there is a need to enact special legislation to enable the smooth construction of railway lines.

During the Olympic Games, special legislation was enacted for the sole purposes of the Olympic Games and so too new legislation should be enacted for the construction of new railway lines.

Timetabling and Ticketing:

New rail lines with ‘Y’ and ‘Diamond’ links and rail grade separations are built into the current network so that services can operate more frequently than at present. The abolition of printed timetables will make for a more effective and highly patronised rail network and thus provide for new and innovative services that are currently on offer.

Service Scheduling:

The travelling public should be able to go to their railway station and to catch a train without having to wait an inordinately long period of time for it to arrive. In Switzerland there is a saying that ‘people set their time by the time that trains arrive.’

If trains operated on the principle that there is no printed timetable and that a train will arrive with a great deal of frequency then this idea will sink into the mind of the public’s consciousness that a train will arrive quickly and frequently and within a short timeframe people will use the railways in greater numbers and this will in turn increase the need to build new railway lines.

Timetabling schedules without a printed version will be as follows:

• Sydney Metropolitan Lines:

• 5 minutes in Peak Hour, 15 minutes in Off-Peak & Weekends.

• Newcastle & Hunter Lines:

• 15 minutes in Peak Hour, 15 minutes in Off-Peak & Weekends.

• Illawarra Lines:

• 15 minutes in Peak Hour, 15 minutes in Off-Peak & Weekends.

• Country Lines:

• 30 minutes on every line.

• All lines will have express, intermediate and all station services operating.

Electronic Ticketing & Internet Sales:

Immediate introduction of an electronic ticketing system for all modes of transport, public and private.

Enable commuters to purchase rail, bus and ferry tickets on the internet. Tickets could still be sold through the usual outlets.

The New South Wales Minister for Transport would work in close consultation with the New South Wales Minister for Railways for the enactment of the following pieces of legislation.

Some of the following pieces of legislation that would be required are as follows:

1) Railway Construction Act

2) Railway (Land Development) Provision Act

3) Transport Timetable Co-ordination Act

4) Transport Zonal Ticketing Co-ordination Act

5) Transport Zonal (Ticketing) Dissolution Act

6) Transport Zonal Multi Use (Ticketing) Act

7) Transport Zonal (Operations) Dissolution Act

1) The Railway Construction Act would allow for the construction of above/below ground railway lines wherever the need arose. There would be no requirement to obtain the permission of a local government council and the Department of Urban Affairs and planning. The Railway Construction Act would not however operate once a railway line had been constructed and the type of development that would occur along the route of a new railway line would be governed by existing procedures. The Railway Construction Act would not avoid the need to conduct an Environmental Impact Statement into the construction of a new railway line. The new act would require the Department of Railways to engage in the same EIS process that currently exists. Once the new railway was constructed, the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning would resume its function in determining the style of development that was to occur along the new rail corridor.

• The Railway Construction Act would give legislative certainty and Authority to the various Transport Agencies that currently have to fight through a brick wall of opposition to actually construct a Railway Line within a 4 year period.

2) The Railway (Land Development) Provision Act would encourage the construction of a new railway line in an area where large tracts of land were being subdivided into new suburbs. At present new suburbs are being established without the provision of a railway line. At the time of subdivision, the developer would pay a levy on the value of land at that time in the form of railway bonds. Of course the value of land once a railway line is built increases, so the levy would be easily absorbed into the cost of development. Payment in the form of railway bonds gives the developer an opportunity to recover the original levy paid and gain positive recognition for contributing towards the construction of the new railway line.

Had the same constraints that apply today to the construction of new railway lines applied when the present rail network was being built, then Sydney would never have got a rail or tram network built.

3) The Transport Timetable Co-ordination Act would ensure trains, trams, buses and ferries met each other at scheduled interchanges and thus encouraged the use of public transport. Sydney had a tramway network second to none and there was a requirement that the tram had to wait for the train to arrive before departing.

4) The Transport Zonal Ticketing Co-ordination Act would ensure train, tram, bus and ferry fare structures were co-ordinated in size and mode across Metropolitan Sydney thus encouraging the use of public transport and reducing Peak Hour traffic congestion. Similar coordination of ticketing zones would be implemented for regional and rural New South Wales.

5) The Transport Zonal (Ticketing) Dissolution Act will dissolve all existing ticketing Zones for both private and public train, bus, coach and ferry services across New South Wales. Currently there is a myriad of zones that are confusing for all concerned to manage and discourage the use of public transport. This Act will allow for a modern system of pricing to be introduced that would be reflective of the needs of the travelling public in the twenty first century.

6) The Transport Zonal Multi Use (Ticketing) Act will enable new ticketing zones to be introduced that are responsive to the demands of a modern society in the twenty first century. Current ticketing zones do not cater for the use of different modes of transport by passengers and tourists. All transport operators would see an increase in revenue from fares collected because new ticketing zones would be multi Zonal and thus encourage the use of different modes of transport by passengers.

7) The Transport Zonal (Operations) Dissolution Act would allow for new bus feeder services to be introduced as new Railway lines are constructed. The current Zonal Operations have been in place since the 1930s and this situation arose because Private Bus companies fought for patronage against the Trams. Bus and Tram conductors existed in those days and were at the front line of the patronage battles. On-board conductors are no longer employed. In the 1930s, car ownership was not universal. Also the population of Sydney was very different to that of today.

• Melbourne has had a Metcard Ticketing System that incorporates Rail, Tram and Bus Trips on the one ticket and with only 2 Ticketing Zones.

• Melbourne is now moving to a Myki Ticketing System that allows a passenger to place credit on the Myki Ticket.

• The NSW Government introduced Myzone Ticketing in April 2010 however this System is not a completely Multi-Modal Ticketing System.

• The Myzone System continues to entrench a fractured ticketing System that discourages new patronage despite the reduction in the numbers of Zones.

• The NSW Audit Office has produced statistics illustrating a decline in patronage in the use of Trains and Buses and the complete failure to introduce a Multi-Modal Ticketing System is to blame.

Victor P Taffa Candidate For Newcastle 26 March 2011

Victor P Taffa

There are 3 tiers of Government in Australia and only one of these has a Residential Rule Requirement for Candidates for Public Office.

Local Government Candidates in New South Wales must reside in the Council area that they are contesting largely because Council Boundaries are not altered by redistribution in the same way that Federal and State Electoral Boundaries are.

During the October 2008 Ryde State By-Election in which the Liberal Candidate Victor Dominello secured a swing of 23% there were constant slurs by others that as Mr. Dominello lived at McMahon’s Point that he was somehow an unsuitable Candidate for Public Office.

The Liberal Member for Ryde Victor Dominello has made a noticeable difference to services in the Electorate since being elected. Editor Victor P Taffa in that same By-Election secured 3% of the Primary Vote. Full Election Results are available in www.isput.com.au

Many State and Federal Politicians over many decades both Labor and Liberal have not always resided in their Electorates.

Some Members that come to mind are:

• Federal NSW Liberal Member for Lowe;
• NSW Labor Member for Cabramatta;
• NSW Labor Member for Blue Mountains;

The NSW Federal Member for Charlton has not always resided in the Hunter Valley.

Due to the change of Prime Minister in 2010 and the 21 August 2010 Federal Election the Federal Redistribution for Victoria had to be postponed until December 2010 and will be gazetted on Christmas Eve 2010. These new boundaries will also not come into effect until after the next Federal Election.

These postponements of important redistributions make a mockery of the Residential Rule Requirement and as a Candidate in the State Seat of Newcastle on 26 March 2011 Editor Victor P Taffa will have as much legitimacy to run in the Seat of Newcastle as any other Candidate.

The next State Redistribution in New South Wales will also occur after the 2011 State Election.

Many people suggest that Upper Houses are unnecessary and that Australia is over governed. There are some very good Members of Upper House Chambers and these include:

• WA Minister for Transport Simon O’Brien;
• WA Minister for Community Services Robyn McSweeney;
• WA Minister for Environment Donna Faragher (Recently Retired);
• VIC Minister for Health David Davis.

In New South Wales there is an undivided Legislative Council while in Victoria there are 8 Regions.

Queensland has not necessarily been better served without a Legislative Council that a Labor Government abolished in 1922.

The fact is that a good Politician deals with the issues of concern regardless of Electoral Boundaries or Residential Requirements.

As a Candidate for Newcastle in 2011 Editor Victor P Taffa will be available in the Electorate throughout the Campaign and reside in the Electorate as the Member for Newcastle.

Editor Victor P Taffa is aware of many of the issues that affect the Newcastle Electorate and is also a Member of the following Clubs:

• Newcastle Leagues Club;
• The Gallipoli Legion Club.

The Newcastle Electorate will have no doubt as to where Editor Victor P Taffa stands on the important issues that affect Novocastrians and the key issues that will be campaigned upon will be made widely known to the Electorate.

As the Member for Newcastle Victor P Taffa will ensure that Newcastle gets its fair share of assistance from Macquarie Street under an O’Farrell/Stoner Coalition Government after 26 March 2011.

Victor P Taffa

Sydney at one stage had the second largest Tramway Network outside of London in the British Empire.

Sydney’s Trams moved people like no other in particularly for Sporting Events such as the races at Randwick Racecourse where 90,000 People (Mostly Men with Hats) would be cleared from the 6 Platform Tramway Siding 90 minutes after the Last Race. This Siding resembled a Railway Station complete with an Overhead Footbridge.

What killed the Tramways?

Some of the well known reasons that killed the Tramways are:

• Universal Ownership of the Motor Car;
• Traffic Had to stop when a Tram Stopped;
• Bus Operations;
• Opposing Industries;
• Lack of Investment in Updating Network;
• Trams were said to be ‘Slow’;
• Trams were said to be ‘Cumbersome’;
• Sydney’s Narrow Streets;

Flinders Street & Elizabeth Street Raised Side Super Stop

 

 

 

 

What can be done to bring back Trams in a more effective way?

The Tramways had Right-Of-Way on the Streets and when a Tram stopped for Passengers all traffic on the left hand side of the Tram had to stop.

Passengers boarded from the curb. Tram stops as such were designed as what could be called ‘Side Stops.’

Some years ago Melbourne introduced at Flinders Street and Swanston Street Stop a Raised Island Super stop. This stop previously was in the traditional format of 2 Side Platforms with the Tram Tracks running parallel to each other.

When Melbourne built the Raised Island Super Stop at Flinders Street and Swanston Street the Tracks were taken up. The New Island Platform installed and the Tracks re-laid on either side of the Platform.

The benefits of an Island Stop over Side Platform Stops are:

• Passengers are waiting on an Island Stop rather than Board from the Curb side;
• Faster Loading/Disembarking of Passengers;
• Safer movement of people;
• Traffic can continue to flow while Trams are stopped;

In addition to the Raised Island nature of the Stop are safety fences alongside of the Tram Tracks separating Trams from Traffic.

Melbourne has another Raised Island Super Stop on Swanston Street outside the University of Melbourne.

Future Tramway Extensions for Melbourne could incorporate Raised Island Super Stops instead of traditional Side Stops however given that Melbourne has much wider Streets than Sydney it would be unnecessary and very costly to replace all Side Stops with Raised Island Super Stops.

Flinders Street & Elizabeth Street Tram Stop Signage With Next Time Running

The closest Sydney had to a Raised Island Super Stop being the Milson’s Point Tram Platforms that were placed parallel with Milson’s Point Railway Station on the opposite side of the Pacific Highway. This Stop was however wider than a modern Raised Island Super Stop.  

Sydney’s Narrow Streets is an issue that will never be overcome however when reintroducing Trams to Sydney and Newcastle the Raised Island Super Stop is the way forward for a modern tramway Network.

Prior to the installation of Tracks the Raised Island Stops would be built and the Tracks then laid alongside.

The style of Stops that the Sydney Light Rail Tram Line from Lilyfield and soon from Dulwich Hill uses is the traditional Side Stop. This style of Stop works well on the isolated corridor and even at Paddy’s Market’s however when an extension to Barangaroo and Circular Quay is considered it will simply be impractical to expect Passengers to board from the curb side.

The old arguments used to abolish Trams in the 1940’s and 1950’s will again be trotted out to the detriment of a modern Tramways.

The need for low-floor entry and raised Platform Stops are features of modern Tramways so the elderly, disabled, strollers and wheelchair users can safely access Trams and are in fact a salvation in the argument for the reintroduction of Trams to Sydney Streets.

Raised Island Super Stops are the way forward and the means to ensure that any new Tramway for Sydney and Newcastle can not only survive but grow.

The old Trams and Side Stops are long gone but what are new are low-floor entry vehicles and Raised Island Super Stops.

Victor P Taffa Candidate for Newcastle 26 March 2011

Victor P Taffa

As opinion polling suggests New South Wales will be Governed by a Liberal/National Coalition led by Barry O’Farrell as Premier and Nationals Leader Andrew Stoner as Deputy Premier after 26 March 2011.

Andrew Stoner as with new Victoria Deputy Premier and Nationals Leader Peter Ryan is a straight forward no-nonsense talker. The one difference between Peter Ryan and Andrew Stoner is that Andrew Stoner calls ‘A Spade a Spade’ while Peter Ryan calls ‘A Spade a Bloody Shovel.’

As New South Wales Minister for Roads the issue that Andrew Stoner will have under his administration is the Roads Budget. The Roads and Traffic Authority (R.T.A.) has under various names for decades had the lion’s share of funding for Roads at the expense of Railway Funding.

Some people from the dinosaur era would not give the Railways one red cent and are happy Sydney destroyed the Tramways.

VIC Deputy Premier Peter Ryan

Road and Railway 50:50 Funding Ratio:

The Roads and Railway Budget should be on a 50:50 equal basis. Governments already receive income from various Road and Motorist sources.

Railways similarly can make money for the Government and some ideas are contained in previous articles in the Transport Page of The Southern Thunderer and in the detailed Overview Report in www.ispit.com.au

Many people wish to see the M4 East and M2-F3 Road Projects completed. It was not that long ago that Pennant Hills Road was a 4 Lane Road through Pennant Hills and Thornleigh.  

Railway and Tramway Expansion are not some novel romantic ideas as some would suggest but are a necessity if Sydney is not going to come to a complete grinding halt.

Decades of neglect are to blame for this situation.

The same people who oppose Railway Expansion have also opposed and obstructed the vital upgrade of Country Cart Tracks such as the:

• Pacific Highway,
• Princes Highway,
• Monaro Highway,
• Kings Highway,
• Castlereagh Highway,
• Mid Western Highway,
• Cobb Highway.

There are many other Country Roads that are simply an embarrassment to their users.

Concord Road Rhodes Median Fence

Kilometre Based Funding:

In addition to the 50:50 Roads and Railway Funding ratio is that of the Roads Budget there needs to be a Kilometre Basis for Funding.

The R.T.A not only has the lion’s share of Government Funding but the budget is largely spent in Sydney.

Naturally the largest population is in Sydney however the R.T.A continues to place dividing fences on 6 lane Roads with a large Median Strip such as that on Concord Road, Rhodes. Not one cent has gone to stop the carnage on Country Roads.

By implementing a Kilometre Based ratio for Roads funding this will ensure that the Pacific Highway receives more funding than at present.

The longer the Road the greater the Funds allocated.

Kilometre Based Funding will ensure that Funds starved Country Roads under an O’Farrell/ Stoner Government get their fair share and at the same time our Railways under a 50:50 Funding Ratio will also receive greater funding for badly needed Expansion in Plans as outlined in www.isput.com.au

NSW Auditor-General Peter Achterstraat

Victor P Taffa

NSW Auditor-General, Peter Achterstraat, releases a report – Volume Nine 2010 – Focusing on Transport, Planning and Industry

The Auditor-General, Mr Peter Achterstraat, today released his Volume Nine Report to Parliament for 2010. The report includes comments on his financial audits of NSW Government transport, planning and industry agencies for 2009-10.

Sydney Metro (Vol Nine, pgs 13 & 197)

Of the $412 Million spent on the Sydney Metro, $356 Million represents expenditure with no apparent future benefit to the people of New South Wales.

“I recommend the New South Wales Government identify lessons learnt from the Sydney Metro experience and ensure the State never again expends such a large amount of scarce transport dollars and valuable time on a project that does not proceed.” Mr. Achterstraat said.

Road travel times (Vol Nine, pg 111)

The average morning peak speed for Victoria Road increased from 21 to 26 km/h while for the M5/Eastern Distributor decreased from 41 to 35 km/h.

School Zone flashing lights (Vol Nine, pg 118)

Flashing lights have been installed in over 350 sites in the past three years at an average cost of $63,000 each.

High levels of overtime continue at the RTA and RailCorp (Vol Nine, pgs 113 & 148)

RailCorp’s overtime payments reached $128 Million, with more than 410 employees being paid 50 % or more of their annual salary in overtime.

RTA’s overtime for 2009-10 was $44 Million. The highest overtime earners at RTA continue to earn substantial amounts of overtime, with one employee receiving $118,000 in overtime payments in 2009-10.

“RailCorp’s and RTA’s overtime payments are significant and should be addressed.” Mr. Achterstraat said.

Contractors (Vol Nine, pgs 112 & 158)

RailCorp has about 590 contractors, with more than a quarter costing more than $1,000 per day.

RTA employs 698 contractors, which represents just over 8% of its workforce. More than 60 of these have been engaged for over six years. The highest paid contractor earned $413,000 in 2009-10.

“I recommend RailCorp and the RTA review their use of contractors to ensure it represents good value for money.” Mr. Achterstraat said.

Vandalism is on increase (Vol Nine, pg 24)

RailCorp is spending increasing amounts on repairing damage, caused by vandalism and graffiti, on its premises and trains. As part of a new program under their Customer Charter, RailCorp spent $55 Million on repairing damage caused in 2009-10 as well as the backlog from previous years.

Increased Rail Complaints and Compliments (Vol Nine, pg 156)

In 2009-10, complaints about RailCorp increased by more than 20 %. Complaints about service replaced complaints about staff as the major area of complaint – more than 4,000 of the 26,000 complaints related to service. Compliments increased by 12 % to 2,449.

Major Capital Projects Over Budget and Behind Schedule (Vol Nine, pgs 26, 117, 145, 202 & 204)

Nine Major Transport Capital Projects are over budget and behind schedule, while a further four are either over budget or behind schedule.

Age Profile of Transport Services Workforce (Vol Nine, pg 20)

A Significant Portion of the Transport Services Workforce (39 %) are over 50 and are likely to retire in the next 5 to 15 years. The RTA and State Transit have 45 % of employees over 50 years of age.

IT system implementations (Vol Nine, pgs 107, 141 & 160)

IT system implementation issues in Transport Agencies are a concern.

The RTA’s upgrade to its Driver and Vehicle System (DRIVES) has experienced significant issues with Project Management and Governance.

Over a 5-Month Period, RailCorp’s $35 Million new procurement system resulted in over $100 Million in late supplier payments and more than $4 Million in double payments.

Victor P Taffa

New South Wales Shadow Minister for Health and Liberal Member for North Shore Jillian Skinner is someone who I have known and thought highly of over many years involvement with the Liberal Party.

Jillian Skinner has been the NSW Shadow Minister for Health longer than any other Shadow Minister for Health and does a superb job in the Portfolio.

Ongoing harassment by the NSW Labor Government via the Ryde Community Mental Health Team is a sick joke.

The only reason why Editor Victor P Taffa was placed in a Psychiatric Hospital in 2010 was due to the New South Wales Election that is to be held on 26 March 2011.

Editor Victor P Taffa announced the intention of contesting the Seat of Newcastle on 7 March 2010 in The Southern Thunderer.

The South Australia and Tasmania State Elections were held on 20 March 2010 and on 26 March 2010 the Labor Party decided to ‘Pounce’ and incarcerated Editor Victor P Taffa at Macquarie Hospital for 7 weeks.

After 7 weeks of incarceration at Macquarie Hospital Editor Victor P Taffa was ‘Blackmailed’ into signing a legally binding document called a Community Treatment Order (C.T.O). This is a legally binding document where the NSW Police can simply take you away at the drop of a hat. The Mental Health Act does not cover H.I.V. and similarly a C.T.O. does not recognise it.

This use of entrapment was to last for 6 months which expires on 13 November 2010. In a letter dated 3 November 2010 and received on 8 November 2010 the latest C.T.O. Hearing was postponed until Friday 19 November 2010.

Northern Supplement To Sydney Morning Herald Article 10 October 1985

Having faced ongoing harassment by the Labor Party since The Southern Thunderer was First Published on 14 October 2009 Editor Victor P Taffa decided to go to Victoria and on the one hand take a holiday and on the other hand cover events in the 27 November 2010 State Election.

The Ryde Community Mental Health Team and the Mental Health Review Tribunal decided to ruin my holiday on 19 November 2010 and hold a Telephone Hook Up to further extend for 6 Months a C.T.O. and continue to control and harass me.

On 29 November 2010 in a further measure of harassment while driving home from Victoria the Ryde Community Team decided to ring me up and again postpone a consultation with Dr. Robyn Bradley. This appointment was set down for 30 November 2010 however Rachel Freeman decided that “You must attend on 7 December.”  This I replied was not suitable and I advised that I would only deal with Dr. Bradley in the future.

Making an appointment that suits my ability to attend is common courtesy however the New South Wales Labor Government via the Ryde Community Mental Health Team is only interested in ongoing harassment of Victor P Taffa.

 One wonders how much the NSW Minister for Health Pays the Ryde Team to continue this harassment of me?

Sometimes in life we all need some help and I have been accepting of this. Further for a minor period of time by missing some medication should NOT be a lifetime excuse by the Labor Party to continue to use the Health System for its own Political Advantage and Gain.

One of the conditions of the C.T.O. in May 2010 was to have a referring Psychiatric Doctor to go to upon Discharge. The Albion Street Centre in May 2010 did not have a Psychiatric Doctor and as at 8 November 2010 still does not have a Psychiatric Doctor.

The fact that the focus is on C.T.O’s and Hearings shows how little that it has to do with the improvement in a Patient’s Healthcare. Rather it is the maintenance of a severely underfunded system and the entire stigma associated.

The Labor Party who is in Government everywhere except Western Australia and Victoria could put funding into H.I.V., Cancer, Bipolar Disorder and other illnesses instead of using them as ‘Political Weapons’ against Editor Victor P Taffa. Western Australia is the only State/Territory to have an individual Minister for Mental Health.

For a Political Party so linked to the Catholic Church it is quite clear that there are many hypocrites in the Labor Party. Homosexuality is not a ‘Choice.’

Forcing people to sign C.T.O.’s or have to go to a particular Community Health Facility is NOT the way to make a person better. Entrapment and Coercion are tactics best left in Dictatorships and NOT a Democracy.

Going to Victoria was once again good to see Melbourne and travel on the Trams which Labor abandoned. Melbourne’s Tramway Network moves a lot of people and as with the Railways requires expansion.

For many years Victor P Taffa has supported Railway Expansion and is a very effective Spokesman for the case for Expansion.

Moving to Victoria would only serve the Oil and Airline Industries who would see the case for Railway Expansion go backwards in New South Wales.

NSW Labor Minister’s for Transport opposed Victor P Taffa from driving a Taxi and NSW Labor Minister’s for Health have decided to use the Mental Health System to question his mental capacity because of support for Railway Expansion.

The reason why Railway and Tramway Expansion and High-Speed Rail have not occurred is because the Labor Party for decades has done the bidding of the Oil and Airline Industries.

NSW Premier Kristina Keneally is attacking NSW Labor President Bernie Riordan over certain comments.

What the NSW Labor Government has not done and what Victor P Taffa has done is stand up for the jobs of RailCorp Train Drivers’ and Guards’ who would have sacked all and destroyed the RailCorp Network in favour of Metro Rail.

As with the decision to abandon the Parramatta-Epping Rail Link it is the Labor Party who has worked against the Railways time and again.

Editor Victor P Taffa will be contesting the NSW Seat of Newcastle on 26 March 2011 and will always actively support Railway and Tramway Expansion and the thousands of employees in the Rail Industry.

The NSW Labor Government seems to forget that the Oil Industry is not the only Industry to employ people.

Victor P Taffa

The New South Wales Health System is more concerned with locking people up than making people better.

If you break a leg why don’t you have to attend a Health Tribunal Hearing ?

Under the Mental Health Act a Patient has to prove a case before a Tribunal for Freedom. In theory the System is designed for well intentions but the reality is that the New South Wales Police can lock you up at the drop of a hat.

The Community Treatment Order (C.T.O.) that I was coerced into signing in order to be discharged from Macquarie Hospital ran out on 13 November 2010 and so that I could have a holiday in Victoria until the 27 November 2010 State Election a 3 way telephone hook up was arranged.

Either I agreed to a 1 Month C.T.O. and a face-to-face Tribunal Hearing or a further 6 month C.T.O. would be determined for me.

The Telephone hook up was held minutes ago and the best that I was able to achieve was that I would be ‘Encouraged’ rather than be coerced to attend consultations.

As a result of the telephone hook up I will be on a C.T.O. for another 6 months much to the delight and satisfaction of the Corrupt, Evil, Bigoted, Racist and Homophobic Labor Party.

The sad fact that I was placed in Macquarie Hospital on 26 March 2010 exactly 1 year before the 26 March 2011 NSW Elections and only 19 days after announcing my intention to contest the Seat of Newcastle at the 2011 Elections.

Had I been heterosexual I would have been a Member of Parliament 20 years ago and not sent to a Psychiatric Hospital in 2003 and 2010.

For many years the NSW Labor Government has used the NSW Police to ‘do its dirty work’ against me personally.

The Pathetic NSW Labor Government has not increased funding into Mental Health and has used the Mental Health System to its advantage against me personally.

Editor Victor P Taffa has always voluntarily attended medical appointments and taken prescribed medication.

If anything else it has been the failure of doctors to prescribe appropriate medication for me and not the other way around.

When the history of NSW Politics is written the Labor Government of 1995-2011 will go down in history as the most corrupt and evil of all time.

Editor Victor P Taffa has no intention of doing any other thing than Standing as a Candidate in Newcastle on 26 March 2011.

Further Gay Marriage MUST BE passed by the Federal Parliament so that it will permanently end the discrimination by the Labor Party against Homosexual Men and Women.

Victor P Taffa

Letter To Ryde Mental Health Service Page 1

Letter To Ryde Mental Health Service Page 2

Victor P Taffa

New South Wales Minister for Health Carmel Tebbutt should hand in her Commission or the next best thing would be is for Premier Kristina Keneally to Sack Carmel Tebbutt.

The only reason why Editor Victor P Taffa was placed in a Psychiatric Hospital in 2010 was due to the New South Wales Election that is to be held on 26 March 2011.

Editor Victor P Taffa announced the intention of contesting the Seat of Newcastle on 7 March 2010 in The Southern Thunderer.

The South Australia and Tasmania State Elections were held on 20 March 2010 and on 26 March 2010 the Labor Party decided to ‘Pounce’ and incarcerated Editor Victor P Taffa at Macquarie Hospital for 7 weeks.

After 7 weeks of incarceration at Macquarie Hospital Editor Victor P Taffa was ‘Blackmailed’ into signing a legally binding document called a Community Treatment Order (C.T.O). This is a legally binding document where the NSW Police can simply take you away at the drop of a hat. It was already known that Editor Victor P Taffa would not be signing a new C.T.O.

The Mental Health Act does not cover H.I.V. and similarly a C.T.O. does not recognise it.

This use of entrapment was to last for 6 months which expires on 13 November 2010. In a letter dated 3 November 2010 and received on 8 November 2010 the latest C.T.O. Hearing has been postponed until Friday 19 November 2010.

One of the conditions of the C.T.O. in May 2010 was to have a referring Psychiatric Doctor to go to upon Discharge.

The Albion Street Centre in May 2010 did not have a Psychiatric Doctor and as at 8 November 2010 still does not have a Psychiatric Doctor.

The fact that the focus is on C.T.O’s and Hearings shows how little that it has to do with the improvement in a Patient’s Healthcare. Rather it is the maintenance of a severely underfunded system and the entire stigma associated.

Premier Kristina Keneally has been able to announce that Former Premier Morris Iemma be named as the new South East Sydney Area Health Chief and yet the Albion Street Centre still does not have a Psychiatric Doctor.

The Labor Party wanted Editor Victor P Taffa incarcerated and yet would not engage a Psychiatric Doctor at Albion Street.

Why?

The fact is that the Labor Party does not want Editor Victor P Taffa from going to Victoria to cover the State Election on 27 November 2010 or contesting the Seat of Newcastle on 26 March 2011.

Without the shadow of a doubt the Labor Party has used every ounce and trick in the Mental Health Act to STOP Editor Victor P Taffa.

Not only does the Labor Party discriminate against Homosexuality but also those with a Mental Illness or if a person has H.I.V.

The fact that Editor Victor P Taffa has H.I.V. and Bipolar Disorder are being used as ‘Political Tools’ by the Labor Party on a daily basis. Editor Victor P Taffa does not get up each morning thinking that there are illnesses that he has.

The Labor Party who is in Government everywhere except Western Australia could put funding into H.I.V., Cancer, Bipolar Disorder and other illnesses instead of using them as ‘Political Weapons’ against Editor Victor P Taffa.

Western Australia is the only State/Territory to have an individual Minister for Mental Health.

For a Political Party so linked to the Catholic Church it is quite clear that there are many hypocrites in the Labor Party. Homosexuality is not a ‘Choice.’

Forcing people to sign C.T.O.’s or have to go to a particular Community Health Facility is NOT the way to make a person better. Entrapment and Coercion are tactics best left in Dictatorships and NOT a Democracy.

Editor Victor P Taffa will be going to Victoria and also contest the Seat of Newcastle in March 2011.

The O’Farrell/Stoner Government should include a Separate Minister for Mental Health and a Separate Minister for Railways. Both Mental Health and Railway & Tramway Expansion are severely underfunded and the Road and Rail Budget should be evenly split 50:50.

Railway Expansion can only help to bring down the Road Toll.

While things will not change overnight in New South Wales the Election of a Liberal/National Coalition in both Victoria and New South Wales can start to arrest the decline in Standards of Public Administration and improve basic services that all people so badly depend upon.

Clearly it would seem that the New South Wales Minister for Health Carmel Tebbutt is more concerned about saving her Seat of Marrickville at the 2011 State Election than improving the Health and Welfare of New South Wales Patients.  

Given the bizarre approach of the Ryde Community Team Editor Victor P Taffa will be seeking legal advice.

Given what has occurred during 2010 Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt should resign.

New Mental Health Review Tribunal Letter

Victor P Taffa

On Melbourne Cup Day Tuesday 2 November 2010 as usual the Melbourne Cup was run and won and Editor Victor P Taffa managed to pick the 2^nd and 3^rd Placed Horses.

Within 5 Minutes of the conclusion of the race Rachel from the Ryde Community Mental Health Team rang to advise me that a new Community Treatment Order (C.T.O.) would be made out and that I was to come and pick it up.

The current C.T.O. runs out on 13 November 2010 and as this is a legally binding document where the NSW Police can simply take you away at the drop of a hat. It was already known that Editor Victor P Taffa would not be signing a new C.T.O.

Editor Victor P Taffa has always seen Doctors voluntarily and taken prescribed medication. Dr. Virginia Furner at the Albion Street Centre is listed in the C.T.O. to go for medical appointments.

On Wednesday 3 November 2010 Rachel and a colleague walked to my Home and delivered an A4 size envelope that contained a new C.T.O.

In a letter dated 2 November 2010 a new hearing for a C.T.O. as arranged by Ryde Hospital was set down for Tuesday 9 November 2010 at 11.00am.

After the publication of two articles on Mental Health Rachel rang Editor Victor P Taffa again and said that the appointment with Dr. Robyn Bradley set down for Tuesday 9 November 2010 at 9.30 am was postponed until 16 November 2010.

Editor Victor P Taffa replied that “I was going to Victoria to cover the State Election and this was unsuitable to me.”

Rachel replied “That is what was in the envelope when we came to your house.”

Why would a change of appointment date be in an A4 sized envelope?

This was not the first time that the Ryde Community Team had shuffled appointments around with the line that “Dr. Bradley is unable to see you at this time.” This had also occurred in October 2010.

What is disturbing about the performance of the Ryde Community Team is the apparent belief that they own Editor Victor P Taffa. This also extends to anyone else who has ever been in a Psychiatric Hospital.

This same Facility in 2004 gave Editor Victor P Taffa varying dosage of Olanzapine that precipitated Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome which was almost fatal.

It should also be noted that I had told Rachel that I had hit my head on the Bathroom Vanity in the early hours of 30^th September 2010 and 1 week later I was ROBBED of my media equipment and personal effects. I had hit my head due to the affects of medication as prescribed by the Ryde Community Team.

The C.T.O. runs out on 13 November 2010 and Editor Victor P Taffa has new medical appointments with Dr. Furner arranged and continues on prescribed medication as we speak.

As with the 20 March 2010 South Australia and Tasmania State Elections the Labor Party engaged in dirty games against Editor Victor P Taffa even though the name of Victor P Taffa did not appear on any Ballot Paper for those State Elections.

Quite clearly the Labor Party is so worried that it may lose the Victoria State Election on 27 November 2010 that every attempt is being made to stop Editor Victor P Taffa from engaging in normal duties as a Qualified Journalist in a Democracy.

The manner and operation in which the Ryde Community Mental Health Service has conducted itself is beyond the pale and has absolutely nothing to do with patient care.

Clearly it would seem that the New South Wales Minister for Health Carmel Tebbutt is more concerned about saving her Seat of Marrickville at the 2011 State Election than improving the Health and Welfare of New South Wales Patients.  

Given the bizarre approach of the Ryde Community Team Editor Victor P Taffa will be seeking legal advice.

Given what has occurred during 2010 Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt should resign.

Mental Health Review Tribunal Letter