16 Mar 2012: SEQ: Queensland unemployed miss the bus, train and ferry!

[ozbob]

Media release 16 March 2012

SEQ: Queensland unemployed miss the bus, train and ferry!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has called for the next Government to support concessions for all Health Care Card holders on Public Transport.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Public Transport's main product is freedom, the mobility to move around and go where you want. Unfortunately for people who cannot afford to pay the tolls of roads and road tunnels in Brisbane, and cannot afford to burn petrol sitting in congestion, or the high cost of cars, life will just continue to get harder as they are left behind while the major parties leave them stranded."

"Why are the the LNP and ALP offering discounts to commuters who obviously have jobs to go to and pay them wages, but then turn up their nose and claim that it is too expensive to offer concessions for those who don't have jobs but are making an effort to get off welfare and search for one? Or perhaps they have just forgotten?"

"Queensland is the only state in Australia not to offer public transport fare concessions to the unemployed. RAIL Back On track supports QCOSS in their aim to secure concession fares for those who need it most (1)."

"To qualify for a health care card, you must be on Centrelink or not on Centrelink and earning a *maximum* $24 960 or $480 per week (2). We challenge any politician in Queensland to scrape by on $480 a week or less and get around on public transport to search for a job and go to job interviews and and pay full adult fare. It is $4.24 to travel three zones."

"If people who need it most can't get around, the only other options for them are to walk everywhere or get a bicycle, and these have their own restrictions on freedom of movement."

"Would you be able to scrape by on less than $480 a week? We didn't think so either! The sooner people have the freedom to move around so they can find jobs, the sooner they are off welfare, the better society and taxpayers are, and the better off the individuals are too."

"To claim that it is 'too expensive' is short sighted, and neglects the wider cost savings and benefits to society and taxpayers that occur when people get jobs, earn an income, pay taxes and and are off welfare."

"How is that going to happen if they can't even afford to travel to the job interview?"

References:

1. Call for unemployed to get transport discounts  http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/state-election-2012/call-for-unemployed-to-get-transport-discounts-20120312-1uuas.html

2. Low Income Health Care Card - income test (Centrelink)  http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/conc_cards_iat.htm

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

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