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The NSW government is happy to pay for a free shuttle – as long as it’s for their own public servants. While it is reducing the funding of the Gong Shuttle, the Berejiklian government is spending $300,000 a year on a shuttle bus so senior Roads and Maritime Services “fat cats” can ride for free. Rather than use public transport, the Roads and Maritime Services employees can catch a free shuttle to take them the five kilometres between their offices in Rozelle and the Sydney CBD. This bombshell features in documents the opposition received under a freedom of information request. Read more: Can speed cameras save free Gong Shuttle? According to the documents seen by the Illawarra Mercury, the shuttle began running in July this year and runs three times a day. The service costs $303,000 a year to run, or $5.50 per person – that means it carries around 55,000 passengers a year. The Gong Shuttle carries 54 times that many passengers. Read more: Council rejects bid to investigate joint shuttle funding Labor leader Luke Foley said this was a “secret shuttle just for Gladys Berejiklian’s fat cats”. “This is the shuttle that should be axed – not the free Gong Shuttle,” Mr Foley said. “You just can’t justify this amount of money being spent on a very small number of Berejiklian government employees.” Labor spokesman for the Illawarra Ryan Park said this secret shuttle was an insult to those who travelled on the Gong Shuttle. “The Liberals thought they could get away with running this private shuttle just for their employees using your taxpayer dollars,” Mr Park said. “Illawarra residents have every right to be completely disgusted by this splash of cash on travel perks for a few while the Premier breaks her promise to keep the Gong Shuttle free.”

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