Article: Queenslanders face higher public transport costs, new laws

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Queenslanders face higher public transport costs, new laws

Queenslanders face higher public transport costs, new laws
Article from: The Courier-Mail

John McCarthy

December 31, 2009 12:00am

QUEENSLANDERS will wake up tomorrow to a massive spike in public transport costs, a new wave of workplace laws, more smoking restrictions, a pay rise for state MPs and a raft of other new laws and regulations.

From tomorrow, catching a train, bus or ferry in the southeast will cost about 20 per cent more for Go Card holders, or 40 per cent for paper ticket buyers under a five-year plan to wind back subsidising public transport.

Under the new fare changes, paper tickets for a two-zone trip - taken by more than one-third of all passengers - will jump $1 to $3.90, but Go Card fares for the same journey will rise only 38c to $2.70.

On the brighter side for workers, 10 new minimum standards of employment that cannot be traded away take effect from tomorrow.

Almost all private sector workers will be covered by a federal industrial scheme providing more protection for minimum wages, penalty rates and superannuation.

A major plus will be the provision for parents to request flexible work arrangements, including working from home or different start and finish times. They can only be refused on "reasonable grounds".

Workers will be able to apply for up to 24 months' unpaid parental leave and all workers will be covered by redundancy payouts, not just those on awards.

Consumers, too, are set to benefit next year. A new national consumer code will protect shoppers who buy faulty goods through a nationally consistent consumer guarantee.

The changes will give consumers the right to a refund, replacement, or repair of defective products.

Queensland's 89 politicians are in for a good year, with a 3.1 per cent pay rise taking their annual income to $130,540, well above public servants' 2.5 per cent rise.

Politicians will also get a 2 per cent increase, across the board, for allowances.

Those worst affected by the New Year changes include first-home owners and couples struggling to conceive.

The grant for first-home owners drops to $7000 tomorrow after reaching $21,000 in the depths of the global financial crisis.

Homeowners could also face a fine of $220,000 for under-quoting their property's expected price at auction, a strategy used to lure people to the event.

Couples trying to have a baby will have to pay thousands of dollars more for IVF treatments after changes that will see the Medicare rebate drop to $4100 from $5500. The full cost of an IVF treatment cycle is about $7000.

The Medicare payment for women using private obstetricians will also be capped, with the rebate for pregnancy management and delivery falling from an average of $2386 to $1669.

Motorists are also in the sights of big brother. Those caught smoking while a child is inside the car will be slugged a fine of $200 from tomorrow.

Long-term fine dodgers could also face having the car wheels clamped or licences suspended.

Blog comment: The new fares don't actually start till the 4th January 2010 folks.

[Mozz]

"Queensland's 89 politicians are in for a good year, with a 3.1 per cent pay rise taking their annual income to $130,540, well above public servants' 2.5 per cent rise."

Most Qld public sector employees received a 4.5% increase in 2009/2010 with a 4% and 4% for future years.

It was only the most highly paid public sector employees in the senior executive service who received a 2.5% increase for the year 2009/2010 back on the 1st July 2009. Come 1st July 2010 it might well be higher given the 3.1% and 4.5% paid out this year.

[beauyboy]

Maybe we should start hinting that they might need a deicated Public Transport Reporter. (eg i posted a acid touged comment) I am getting sick of things being reported wrong or just a reworded media release that has spin in it.

Donald

[Derwan]

Most Qld public sector employees received a 4.5% increase in 2009/2010 with a 4% and 4% for future years.

It was only the most highly paid public sector employees in the senior executive service who received a 2.5% increase for the year 2009/2010 back on the 1st July 2009. Come 1st July 2010 it might well be higher given the 3.1% and 4.5% paid out this year.

Just an OT comment here.  The different rate increases for senior officers mean that after the third increase, some AO8's will be paid more than their bosses!   

[Mozz]

Yeah the poor Senior Officer Level 2's (SO2 level 1's) are only a bees away from the AO8 (administative officer) level 4's $99k versus $102k but this will change as I indicated.

I would suggest that the next payrise for senior executive service staff will be commensurate with the current 4% for the majority of the public sector so parity will remain. SO2 level 2's are paid $5k more a year and SO1's level 1's are around $112k per year.

The future of the SO2 level in Qld govt though is uncertain I hear.

The real kicker though is found in the different workplace conditions. An AO8 on $99k can take advantage of flex time and toil (time off in lieu) so theoretically they can take 3 days flex time every 28 day cycle as every hour worked can be accumulated via these methods. In reality most AO8's would be flat out taking a day of flex a month or two but still there are others who would be taking a day a month. Then comes the christmas break, most AOx staff will take the 2 work days between christmas and new year as flex days.

SO level staff can't accumulate any toil or flex and every day off has to be approved leave e.g. recreation leave, including the 2 days at Christmas.

So in comparision the AO8 level has more flexibility and potentially anywhere between 1 and possibly 3 weeks more a year (5-15days) of flexible work days away from the workplace which more than compensates for the small difference in pay between AO8.4 and SO2.1

I did advise CM about the two inaccuracies in their article - re 4th January start for new fares and public sector payrise but comments haven't been published in keeping with my 100% non publishing of anything I submit

[beauyboy]

I just noted the online artical has been altered.

I also not that my comment has not been posted either. I guess there inabiltiy to get simple facts right does not want to be shown to the entire world.

Donald