There is a secret review into the future of the free Gong Shuttle underway at the moment.

The secret review’s findings will be available by October 2020 and the findings will “determine the operation of the Gong Shuttle post 30 June 2021.”

The secret review will assess the Gong Shuttle and “its value as a free service.”

The commissioning of the secret review follows a meeting on 25 March 2020 between the three funding stakeholders – Transport for NSW, Wollongong City Council and the University of Wollongong.

This secret review is not good enough.

The free Gong Shuttle secret review should not be left to Transport for NSW, which has previously tried to scuttle the free shuttle and impose a user-charge.

The NSW Liberals and Nationals Government wanted to impose a user-charge in January 2018 before a massive community uproar forced a major back down.

I have today written to the Minister for Transport and Roads, Andrew Constance, calling for the secret review to be open to community input and transparency, and that it is publicly released immediately upon completion.

There is no excuse for Transport for NSW to carry on with a secret review deliberately excluding the community.

It should be known to the Government by now that the Wollongong community is fiercely protective of the free Gong Shuttle service and will rise up against any threats to its future operations.

The bottom line is the free Gong Shuttle should remain free and NSW Liberals and Nationals Government should restore full funding towards its operations as was the case from its establishment as a free service by NSW Labor in 2009.