Sydney's New Year’s Eve fireworks will go ahead, after a temporary truce was struck between the rail union and New South Wales government. Police had warned the display could be cancelled if train strikes prevented revellers from getting home. The rail union has now dropped some industrial action. But insists it's not backing down yet.
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00:00A temporary ceasefire just in time for Christmas.
00:06I'm very, very happy.
00:08These are very good news.
00:09After months of stalled pay negotiations, the rail unions and New South Wales government
00:14struck an 11th hour truce.
00:16We did withdraw some bans, hopefully to give the people of New South Wales more certainty
00:23than they otherwise had.
00:24Christmas, New Year's and the Sydney test are too important to the state, and I am pleased
00:30to report that they are now safe.
00:34The government had warned it would cancel Sydney's New Year's Eve if train strikes persisted,
00:40arguing service delays would be a major public safety concern.
00:44It took the unions to the Fair Work Commission, but just moments before the hearing, a resolution
00:50was reached.
00:52This was a stunt by Premier Minns and his friends in the big business community.
00:58There was never going to be any rail shutdown or major disruptions on New Year's Eve.
01:03For hospitality businesses gearing up for their busiest period, it was welcome news.
01:09And our harbour party is the front row view to the fireworks, so for us, potentially that
01:14being impacted would have been quite catastrophic.
01:16A message to any of those people that have cancelled bookings, please feel free to get
01:22back in touch.
01:23While this temporary resolution is cause for some celebration, it's far from a back down
01:28by the unions.
01:29They're calling on the state government to come back to the negotiating table on Boxing
01:33Day, otherwise all bets are off.
01:37We're here and ready to bargain.
01:38We're willing to sacrifice this festive season to see this deal done.
01:42I fear that this dispute will still be dragging on past Australia Day.
01:46A miracle for now, but a battle that's still steaming ahead.