Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
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Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
The Secretary of Transport for NSW, Rodd Staples, has unexpectedly resigned without explanation. He has been the driving force behind Sydney's metro expansion since the days of the Iemma Labor government. I wonder what's going on there?
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw ... 56fug.html
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw ... 56fug.html
Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
With a bit of luck the tranport minister will be calling the shots now and we may get Parrahub built with a Maglev to Canberra.
Parrahub, an extra option in the public transport menu http://www.parrahub.org.au/
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- boronia
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
Something to do with a block of land at Camelia?
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
the HEAD of transport NSW was sacked 2 days ago over the land deal at camelia and he also had a few run in with minister constance ............But would not the minister have to sign off on the land deals after all he is in charge and glady's WOULD HAVE TO HAVE APPROVED IT AS WELL.
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
Would probably have gone through some Cabinet finance committee, which probably just rubber-stamped the deal without looking too deeply. Like the fed's stuff-up at Badgery's Creek.
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
Wait - didn’t SMH say that Rodd Staples was at Sydney Metro when that land deal happened? And didn’t become secretary until 2 years later?
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
The Herald also says he resigned, not sacked. So we don't know the full story, and political/transport reporters in media are often way off the mark with facts.
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
Constance said that Staples resignation was "separate to the issues" with regard to the Camellia land sale, which happened under his predecessor Tim Reardon's watch. I suspect that Staples was offered the choice of resigning or be sacked. Must be over some major stuff-up as both Staples and the government have been very silent on what brought this about. Not the usual excuse to spend more time with his family. Any bets on his successor - Howard Collins perhaps?
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
It's now been disclosed that Rodd Staples actually had his contract as Secretary of TfNSW terminated, after his return from sick leave, by Tim Reardon, his predecessor, now Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet. He will continue in the role until February 2021 when his as yet unnamed replacement will take over.
This raises several issues, as Reardon was actually in charge of TfNSW when the Camellia land sale was approved. It doesn't appear that Staples had any role in this, as he was the CEO of Sydney Metro at the time, although he did preside over a subsequent investigation of the sale. As far as I'm aware, the Camellia site had nothing to do with Metro West, but was related to the Parramatta light rail project. The plot thickens.
This raises several issues, as Reardon was actually in charge of TfNSW when the Camellia land sale was approved. It doesn't appear that Staples had any role in this, as he was the CEO of Sydney Metro at the time, although he did preside over a subsequent investigation of the sale. As far as I'm aware, the Camellia site had nothing to do with Metro West, but was related to the Parramatta light rail project. The plot thickens.
Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
Well that seems to confirm the statement by Constance that Staples departure and referring Camellia to ICAC etc were not related.
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
I'm not a big fan of Rodd Staples and his ilk but don't see him doing something as monumentally crazy as that land transaction.
NSW, the state that embraces mediocrity.
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
Andrew Constance has named the current Deputy Secretary of TfNSW Peter Reagan as Acting Secretary to replace Rodd Staples who leaves in February and current Chief Operating Officer Howard Collins as Acting Deputy Secretary.
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
Something very strange going on here. What does Constance's earlier comment that TfNSW was "looking for a new direction" mean? I thought the agency was supposedly heading in the right direction under Staples' leadership, particularly with regard to the government's metro strategy. Then again, it may be completely unrelated to rail policy and have something to do with other aspects of the agency's responsibilities.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/nsw ... 570j4.html
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/nsw ... 570j4.html
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
Sounds like an organisational-wide trend, no reason given for a train service cancellation = no reason given for no longer required for the job except one gets compensated and the other doesn't. In terms of new direction? Out with pictograms of modes and in with letters inside roundels?
- boronia
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
‘Stay tuned’: Minister hints at return of transport boss after $800,000 payout
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/sta ... 570y4.html
What a rort. Get a 12 month "termination payment", have a 9 month holiday, thenn come back as a "consultant" on perhaps twice the salary?
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/sta ... 570y4.html
What a rort. Get a 12 month "termination payment", have a 9 month holiday, thenn come back as a "consultant" on perhaps twice the salary?
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
They are denying that Camelia land sale had anything to do with it. How convenient to have the no reason termination clause.
We have a slimy developer (they're all slimy) get a multi million dollar windfall while we have residents getting offered effectively half their land value, after you take into account projected rapid gains in value, by Sydney Metro who will rob them of their capital gains and even be able to sell excess acquired land for profit afterwards.
Is it any wonder I've had a pathological hatred of this state since Neville Wran left in mid 86?
We have a slimy developer (they're all slimy) get a multi million dollar windfall while we have residents getting offered effectively half their land value, after you take into account projected rapid gains in value, by Sydney Metro who will rob them of their capital gains and even be able to sell excess acquired land for profit afterwards.
Is it any wonder I've had a pathological hatred of this state since Neville Wran left in mid 86?
NSW, the state that embraces mediocrity.
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/min ... 575we.html
No Reason= Failed to follow through with ministerial direction to get rid of all trees on the side of the road as they may fall onto cars and kill people in the event of a fire
Trees on the side of railway lines?
No Reason= Failed to follow through with ministerial direction to get rid of all trees on the side of the road as they may fall onto cars and kill people in the event of a fire
Trees on the side of railway lines?
Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
Trees on the Princes Highway. This really has to be a silly reason.
Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
All the urbanista readers of the SMH in shock and horror about something of which they have no comprehension of reality. Constance is right on the ball here. Roadside trees are a danger to human life, not that that apparently means much nowadays. It's certainly highly desirable to clear them back to a distance greater than their height except perhaps where there is no alternative for erosion management or slope stabilisation. Highway road reserves, over which governments have management rights, are usually quite wide, so a lot of clearing can be done without going onto private property. Coming from the SMH, I have doubts about the full veracity of this story.
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
Sorry, the excuse for Staples' sacking doesn't seem credible. When Constance said they were seeking a new direction, I'm sure it wasn't about trees. In the light of the just disclosed resignation of Jon Lamonte, CEO of Sydney Metro, there's more to this than meets the eye. I smell a whiff of cover-up to hide some damaging disclosures which will impact on the government. Metro West cost blowouts?
Last edited by Transtopic on Fri Feb 26, 2021 3:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
I like this Ronald Reagan principle being used here. When you've seen one tree you've seen them all.
If like to see plenty more removed such as next to railway lines where they block the view!
If like to see plenty more removed such as next to railway lines where they block the view!
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
Perhaps fill the space left with an extra wide concrete shoulder, that would look nice and be a discreet slow lane for trucks !
Humans behind the wheel I would guess are the biggest killers on our highways, not trees.
Lets kill all the sharks because humans venture into their territory and they go and bite us. !
Lets pull down all the old houses and buildings, look too out of date, not economical or modern enough.
Where's a young Bob Carr when the State needs him......sorry, who's the State Labour leader ??
Humans behind the wheel I would guess are the biggest killers on our highways, not trees.
Lets kill all the sharks because humans venture into their territory and they go and bite us. !
Lets pull down all the old houses and buildings, look too out of date, not economical or modern enough.
Where's a young Bob Carr when the State needs him......sorry, who's the State Labour leader ??
Think for yourself, while it's still legal !
Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
Well you simply can't write off a death from hitting a tree as "it was the driver's fault". Providing a run-off zone where there are no barriers is basic safety. That's not the main issue on the Princes Hwy. The issue is that it's mostly the only escape route on the south coast and motorists can become trapped (as they did), cut off by fire in roadside trees as well as branches and trees falling on the road. They may be nice and environmentally good, but they're deadly. The same issue applies to railways and, of course, powerlines - even though there's not a human safety issue there - where the most zealous environmentalists somehow turn a blind eye to the long-standing practice of cleared easements.Centralian wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 3:15 pm Perhaps fill the space left with an extra wide concrete shoulder, that would look nice and be a discreet slow lane for trucks !
Humans behind the wheel I would guess are the biggest killers on our highways, not trees.
Anyway, that's a little off topic. I'm at a loss to imagine how the Herald cooked up an issue of STaples losing his job because of tree clearing. Most unlikely.
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Re: Resignation of Rodd Staples, Secretary of Transport for NSW
I wonder if our idiotic transport minister realised that his demands simply cannot be met from a legal standpoint. He would have to legislate to clear 80m of native bush land either side of the road through national parks and in a large amount of cases, would have to compulsorily acquire all properties that directly line the highway.
Stupidity plain and simple
Stupidity plain and simple
https://transportnswblog.com
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