Both QLD major parties commit to 50c public transport fares

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Queenslanders have welcomed the news that 50-cent public transport fares will remain, no matter which party claims victory in next month's state election.

Transcript

00:00It is certainly quite an interesting policy that's been made by both parties as this announcement

00:06has come.

00:07The Miles government effectively plus the opposition, the state's opposition, the LNP,

00:11have both said that they will continue 50 cent public transport fees well past the state

00:16election next month.

00:17Now this originally was a six month trial announced by the Premier Stephen Miles back

00:21in August.

00:22It applied to 50 cent fares for all trains, ferries, buses and trams under the TransLink

00:28Network.

00:29And the state government has said that they're largely announcing the extension of this program

00:33due to its increased patronage right across the state.

00:36They say that the levels have been up from pre-pandemic levels and they've effectively

00:40also addressed a key cost of living measure.

00:43They say that the latest data has shown that most commuters have saved up to $37 million

00:49in the state from these 50 cent fares.

00:51But there is still a lot of concern in the regions, a lot of constituents are concerned

00:56about the regional train and public transport network.

01:00They say that it's not quite up to standard.

01:02Now the concern here is, the Premier has said, it's almost like a chicken and egg situation

01:06where there aren't enough services so not a lot of people do use the public transport

01:10network but for the Premier to be able to implement and increase that delivery of service

01:15they'll need to actually have an increase of patronage.

01:18So that is one of the main concerns and that's where the LNP, the state's opposition, have

01:22come to the table.

01:23They say they've got a plan to address this if they are elected into government but it

01:27is certainly proving to be quite a bit of a race and what is one of the key policy making

01:32issues for constituents front and centre.

01:35Now the Premier did speak on News Breakfast this morning, he was gruelled on the cost

01:38of this policy to taxpayers.

01:40He heavily defended it and said that it's worth every cent if it means it saves constituents

01:45at the hip pocket.

01:46We do have those progressive coal royalties which are delivering the additional revenue

01:51to fund our cost of living measures.

01:53If you got rid of those royalties, like the LNP have said they will do, then that will

01:57have an impact on your ability to keep doing things like this.

02:02You would need to cut something.

02:03But the actual revenue impact of 50 cent fares is pretty small.

02:11Certainly with the state election just around the corner, Cath, it is shaping up that a

02:16few of these key policy issues like cost of living and youth crime are very similar to

02:20the Northern Territory election so we wait and see how exactly these measures might impact

02:26voters as we head closer to the state election in October 26.

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