Go card Question in Parliament 29th October 2009

[ozbob]

From the Queensland Parliament Hansard 29th October 2009

Questions without notice

Go Cards

Ms SIMPSON: My question is to the Minister for Transport. Will the minister confirm that the reason seven out of 10 commuters reject go cards is their limited availability due to many newsagents being blocked from selling go cards, thus leaving major shopping centres, including Toombul, and whole towns without an outlet?

Ms NOLAN: I thank the honourable member for the question. I note that just recently the member for Maroochydore issued a press release on this very matter claiming that it is incredibly difficult to get your hands on a go card and claiming that in Ipswich, for instance, there was only one go card outlet. In fact, in Ipswich I think there are nine go card outlets. People can get them at 7-Eleven stores, at the Ipswich Railway Station and, of course, over the phone and online.

Nonetheless, I take it from the question that the member for Maroochydore supports the sensational product that is go card, understands why 460,000 people so far have bought one and supports the government?s stated policy of getting 100 per cent take-up of go cards by the end of next year. In order to do that, as the government has already announced, we intend to double the number of outlets at which people can buy a go card. We have already announced that we plan to roll out a seniors card that doubles as a go card so that older people can access this technology with the greatest of ease. We intend to rollout 400,000 go cards with $10 of free credit.

The go card is a sensational product. Unlike Sydney and Melbourne, which are still struggling to get a smart card technology, in Queensland there has been a great take-up rate of this product. Tens of thousands of people every day are using this product to get on and off buses in three seconds rather than 11 seconds. Some 50 million trips have so far been taken using go cards. One and a quarter million trips a week are taken using go cards. More than half of all trips in peak times are go card trips. The people of Queensland who use this product swear by it. We are ultimately committed to rolling it out to the remainder of public transport users. When the Gold Coast light rail is built, the people of the Gold Coast will be able to use their go card on the light rail system. I note that a day after I challenged the Leader of the Opposition to remove his name from the Stop Light Rail website he has failed to do so.

[ozbob]

Certainly is quicker to load for sure Minister.  Not quite so sure about getting off ...  

How about $10 bonus for all existing registered go hard holders?  It will stop them grabbing more cards?

[somebody]

Why are they talking about such a minor issue in parliament?  Isn't the real issue where's my !@#$ service.  Especially at 5pm at RCH Herston, but also off peak at just about any train station.

I also think the opposition just played into the Government's hands by asking that.

[bladesplace]

How about $10 bonus for all existing registered go hard holders?  It will stop them grabbing more cards?

That's a REALLY good idea! Might make the long suffering Go Card users feel a little more appreciated for their patience.

Plus I want to get one of these so I can teach my father what to do when his paper weekly ticket is phased out.

[Fares_Fair]

From the Queensland Parliament Hansard 29th October 2009

Questions without notice
Go Cards
Ms NOLAN: The people of Queensland who use this product swear by it.

For that sentence I can agree with the TransLink misinformed, Member for Ipswich.
It is not even close to being a "sensational product", the only sensation left is a much lighter wallet ! 
You know the Government is lying when it uses such terms to describe a mere 1/3 use of it's product.

The 70% who refuse to use it certainly will be (swearing) when it is financially imposed upon them from January 2010 !
They will also be when they are left queueing at rail station exits !
They also will be when trying to get their improperly imposed fines returned for equipment and system failures !
What a disgrace. 

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[justanotheruser]

It also isn't hard to get so many bus trips using go card. All you do is on the biggest bus providor in Brisbane (council buses) is make it so people have to get go cards. That is what has happened.

Maybe the person who asked the question about retailers got confused as not all Go card retailers are listed. I found one just the other day which has been selling cards for over 12 months yet they are not on the retailers list. No wonder people think they are hard to get.

Easy to use?? Try having one without a credit card. Without a credit card you can not keep your childs go card protected from theft or loss by registering it. Why? Because they have a policy that all childrens go cards that are registered must have a credit card number provided. So if your kid gets bullied at school and someone pinches their card then they get a reward for bullying. Free transport!