Mr BALCH - 1998-04-29
Are the increases in bus fares, announced in the budget, simply a revenue raising measure or will the revenue gained be put back into improving the Territory's public transport system?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the money will go back into the transportation system. The distance travelled by buses will increase this year by 150 000 km. New bus services will be available, particularly in Palmerston. I refer to routes 72 and 73 in the Fairway Waters/Driver/Gray and Bakewell/Rosebery areas. I am speaking as the Minister for Transport rather than as the local member, but this will be wonderful news for the people at Palmerston.
I table the new fare structure for single fares and 10-ride concessions. Members will see why, this morning, Michael McKenzie was unable to obtain much of a reaction when he went to the bus interchange and spoke to the people there. They all said that the increase was fair enough, that 20 was not too bad. It will achieve what we are setting out to do - to put money back. The service will continue
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to be heavily subsidised. It is still not a user-pays bus service. We have exempted the pensioners.
A range of other things will be happening with public transport. The bus interchange at Casuarina will have a $370 000 facelift to make it safer and more weatherproof. We are expanding the $1m Palmerston bus exchange, from 3 to 8 bays. We are expanding the school bus services in both Darwin and Palmerston to meet the growing demand. A newcomer is the Mandorah ferry. We will determine whether or not a subsidy is needed. Tenders will be let in 6 months. All these things are happening with public transport and that is why there is no reaction among users. There are no bites from the customers. They know they are obtaining a better service. The 20 increase is not much to pay for the increases in frequency and distance travelled.
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ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the money will go back into the transportation system. The distance travelled by buses will increase this year by 150 000 km. New bus services will be available, particularly in Palmerston. I refer to routes 72 and 73 in the Fairway Waters/Driver/Gray and Bakewell/Rosebery areas. I am speaking as the Minister for Transport rather than as the local member, but this will be wonderful news for the people at Palmerston.
I table the new fare structure for single fares and 10-ride concessions. Members will see why, this morning, Michael McKenzie was unable to obtain much of a reaction when he went to the bus interchange and spoke to the people there. They all said that the increase was fair enough, that 20 was not too bad. It will achieve what we are setting out to do - to put money back. The service will continue
Page 224
to be heavily subsidised. It is still not a user-pays bus service. We have exempted the pensioners.
A range of other things will be happening with public transport. The bus interchange at Casuarina will have a $370 000 facelift to make it safer and more weatherproof. We are expanding the $1m Palmerston bus exchange, from 3 to 8 bays. We are expanding the school bus services in both Darwin and Palmerston to meet the growing demand. A newcomer is the Mandorah ferry. We will determine whether or not a subsidy is needed. Tenders will be let in 6 months. All these things are happening with public transport and that is why there is no reaction among users. There are no bites from the customers. They know they are obtaining a better service. The 20 increase is not much to pay for the increases in frequency and distance travelled.
Page 225
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016