Article: Carbon tax blamed for fare hike

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Carbon tax blamed for fare hike

Carbon tax blamed for fare hike
Kent Acott, The West Australian Updated June 28, 2012, 2:55 am

The carbon tax has been blamed for planned increases to Perth train, bus and ferry fares that exceed the inflation rate.

The fare increases, which will take effect from Sunday, generally range from 3.6 to 5.6 per cent. It means a two-zone adult ticket will rise from $3.80 to $4.

But the DayRider and Family- Rider tickets will increase 18.3 per cent, from $9.30 to $11. A DayRider ticket entitles the user to unlimited all-day travel. The FamilyRider allows unlimited travel for a group of up to seven people on weekends and public holidays.

The new fares have appeared on the Transperth website in the same week as Perth's public transport system recorded three significant annual patronage milestones - 60 million train trips, 20 million trips on the Mandurah rail line and 80 million bus trips.

A spokeswoman for acting Transport Minister Kim Hames said fares had been increased by the projected inflation rate of 2.8 per cent and another 1.5 per cent to recover the estimated cost of the carbon tax.

And because fare increases can only be made in 10¢ increments, some of the increases were rises that had been deferred from last year.

Concession fares would remain at 40 per cent of the standard fare and the student fare would stay at 50¢.

The spokeswoman said the DayRider and FamilyRider fares had been increased to be consistent with the standard nine-zone fare.

But shadow transport minister Ken Travers said the State Government was using the carbon tax as an excuse to gouge more money from WA households at a time when many could least afford it.

"The Barnett Government should have come clean about these fare increases on Budget day," Mr Travers said. "It should not be left to _The West Australian _- after scouring Government internet sites - to reveal these price rises to the people of WA."

In a statement yesterday, Premier Colin Barnett said the carbon tax would be an unnecessary and ineffective burden on WA households.
He said the tax would increase power prices by 9 per cent, gas by 4.2 per cent and water by 0.8 per cent.