The Daily Telegraph: Sydney bus PR job ads disappear amid concerns users want money spent on drivers

Anna Caldwell, April 6, The Daily Telegraph excerpt below, or full story here.

“Yesterday, the only STA job advertisements online were for bus drivers.

THE agency running Sydney’s bus network has been ordered to rip down three job ads for PR staff amid concerns the “communications” gigs were a waste of money for taxpayers, who would want bus drivers hired instead. 

The Daily Telegraph understands serious questions were raised at senior government levels about why the bureaucracy needs to spend another $400,000 protecting its image.

The hiring drive came after the State Transit Authority’s remit was narrowed this year with the privatisation of buses in the inner west.

Three ads were posted last week advertising a suite of PR jobs.

The bus network was offering­ a $161,000 package to recruit a “media and stakeholder relations manager”, a $145,000 package for a “communications­ manager” and $74,000 for a “communications co-ordinator”.

The apparent expansion of the team came after the STA hired a new director of communications on a lucrative package last year.

It is understood that when The Daily Telegraph inquired about the recruitment drive, Transport Minister Andrew Constance ordered the job ads be reviewed.”

Read the full story on the Daily Telegraph (note, there is unfortunately a paywall).