Article: Interstate travel cheaper for seniors card holders

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Interstate travel cheaper for seniors card holders

Interstate travel cheaper for seniors card holders
Article from: AAP

July 05, 2009 11:30am

OLDER people across the nation will now be able to travel interstate more cheaply.
Community Services Minister Jenny Macklin said all seniors could now take advantage of concession fares on interstate public transport as part of the $50 million National Seniors Transport Scheme.

Ms Macklin said the scheme, launched in January, was now fully operational, with Western Australia and Queensland finally coming on board.

She said the new Australia-wide concessions would enable older Australians to save money when they travelled interstate, making it more affordable to visit friends and families around the country.

There will also be an economic benefit.

"The scheme will provide incentives for seniors to spend their tourist dollars in Australia and is a boost for communities and businesses that depend on tourism," Ms Macklin said in a statement.

NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory introduced the scheme on January 1.

Before then, Seniors Card holders were only able to get public transport concessions in their home state.

"This scheme will benefit 800,000 Senior Card holders who were previously unable to access public transport concessions outside their home state," Ms Macklin said.

"This brings the total number of seniors who can access interstate concessions to more than three million."