Transport Minister Chris Steel has been censured in the ACT Legislative Assembly after a committee found the $64 million MyWay+ public transport upgrade was rushed, failed to deliver basic features, and lost public trust. The committee's report, tabled on Thursday, labeled the project a profound failure and said it was too large and complex for the government to handle.
The upgrade was meant to provide cashless payments, smartphone ticketing, and real-time tracking by November 27, 2024, but the report found it was clearly not ready for launch. Community testing was described as so poor it was almost meaningless, and the system failed to meet accessibility requirements, particularly affecting people with disabilities.
More than 100 public submissions were made to the inquiry, which was established in December 2024 after the chaotic rollout. Some suggested the project was rushed to fit election timing, but Mr Steel denied this, blaming the shutdown of the 3G network. The report also highlighted a lack of transparency on costs and lost revenue.
In the assembly, Mr Steel acknowledged the transition was not smooth and said the government would respond to the findings. He stopped short of apologizing but said he took full responsibility. Greens MLA Andrew Braddock moved the censure motion, which passed with support from the Canberra Liberals and independents.
Braddock said the debacle required accountability, especially for vulnerable Canberrans, but noted the Greens had not lost confidence in the minister. Opposition Leader Leanne Castley threatened further censure motions if Chief Minister Andrew Barr did not hold ministers accountable. Mr Steel said the contractor NEC was due to deliver fixes.
