8 Mar 2009: SEQ: Call for free Sunday TransLink travel for Seniors on Go Card

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Media Release 8 Mar 2009

SEQ:  Call for free Sunday TransLink travel for Seniors on Go Card!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport users has previously called for free Sunday public transport travel for Senior Citizens (1, 2).  Senior citizens now have access to a special Seniors Go Card (a red Go Card), and as a further incentive for uptake of the card and to encourage senior citizens to get out and about, it would be a simple matter to program the smart card system to allow Seniors free travel on Sundays.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

?Free travel for Senior citizens was introduced by the Victorian Government on the 27 August 2006 in Melbourne. This worthwhile initiative has been a huge success and when on visits to Melbourne it has been encouraging to hear senior citizens comment on how helpful it has been to them.?

?Western Australia also has free travel for seniors on Sundays and Public Holidays and is poised to extend this to weekday travel as well.?

?Recent announcements of the possible portability of Seniors? public transport travel concession entitlement cards around the nation make a lot of sense. As part of this it would make even more sense to standardise the concessions afforded to our Seniors.?

?Public transport in south-east Queensland has some slack on Sundays, and it will be no additional load for our public transport generally to make this service available.  It will assist the Senior citizens to get out and about, visit family and friends, and have more healthy life styles. It will assist them in this time of financial stress. The Go Card will allow for easy implementation of such an initiative.?

?RAIL Back On Track calls on all political candidates for the 2009 State Election to consider providing free public transport to retired Seniors in Queensland on Sundays who use the Seniors Go Card.?

Reference:

1.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=52.

2.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=567.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Seniors devise 10-point plan for parties' action

Seniors devise 10-point plan for parties' action
DANIEL HURST | March 7, 2009

QUEENSLAND has reached the halfway point in the election campaign but the two major parties are yet to announce any seniors policies.

Seniors groups have called on the Labor and Liberal National parties to back a 10-point plan to improve services and representation of older people, warning the state faces a crisis if it does not plan properly for the rapidly ageing population.

The groups say over-50s make up 40 per cent of voters but political leaders focused yesterday on other issues. Premier Anna Bligh tried to woo recreational fishers by announcing boatramp upgrades and Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg went on the attack over claims the State Government planned to scrap the fuel subsidy.

Council on the Ageing Queensland executive director Mark Tucker-Evans urged both parties to do more to ensure seniors stayed engaged in the community, had access to better transport services and were eligible to the same concessions regardless of the state or territory they lived in.

Mr Tucker-Evans said the Seniors Sector Roundtable had written a 10-point plan outlining actions that government should take to make life easier for seniors.

The roundtable included representatives from eight senior-focused groups. Its wish list includes a dedicated unit in the Premier's Department for seniors.

The group also wants decision-makers to focus on providing "affordable and appropriate" housing for seniors, allocate money towards seniors services and subsidise volunteers' travel costs.

Older People Speak Out president Val French called for the State Government to look closely at community-based transport options.

School and club buses could be used outside peak hours for seniors, she said. The service could also suit other community sections, including parents with young children.

National Seniors chief executive Michael O'Neill said seniors needed more-affordable housing.

Seniors Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr said Labor was committed to tackling the issues and had increased seniors' rebates and concessions from $142 million last financial year to $184 million in 2008-09. She rejected claims the Communities Department's Office of Seniors was ineffective, saying it was staffed by 35 people and had an important advocacy role.

Opposition social inclusion spokeswoman Rosemary Menkins said the

LNP would set up a new Social Inclusion Department, with responsibility for seniors' affairs.