Gippsland’s seniors, resident carers, and disability support pensioners who are eligible for a “Sunday Pass” should be able to access Sunday inter-town bus services that operate within Latrobe City, said Nationals Member for Morwell Russell Northe.
“Under the Sunday Pass, free bus services are available in the regional centres of Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Mildura and Warrnambool, with free bus, train and tram transport in certain Melbourne zones, but the Latrobe Valley and wider Gippsland is the only region which does not have any such provision,” Mr Northe said.
“Three years ago, I had raised this issue with the then Minister for Transport, Lynne Kosky, and her response alluded to the fact that these transport rules do not apply in the Latrobe Valley as there are no town bus services within Moe, Morwell and Traralgon on a Sunday. To further cloud this issue the “metlink” website states that a Sunday Pass can be used for town bus services in Moe, Morwell and Traralgon; which is factually incorrect and is a further demonstration of how out of touch the Brumby Government really is.
“There are actually inter-town buses that operate on Sunday in Latrobe City and seniors, resident carers, and disability support pensioners in possession of a Sunday Pass should be able to access these services.
Mr Northe joins his Nationals colleague, Member for Eastern Victoria Peter Hall who has taken up the fight with new Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula to provide free local public transport on Sundays.
In Parliament recently, Mr Hall posed a question to the Minister asking what the justification is for excluding Latrobe Valley residents from free local Sunday travel.
The Minister for Transport was unable to answer Mr Hall’s question in Parliament.
Mr Northe has also previously written to the Minister for Senior Victorians Lisa Neville, expressing the irate sentiments of these community members; in regards to bus and train travel.
“While there are no subsidised bus services in the Latrobe Valley on a Sunday, these groups are also paying more to travel by train on a Sunday than they do during the week.
“These eligible for a Sunday Pass and wishing to travel to and from Melbourne and Gippsland on a Sunday are paying 42 percent more on the weekend, which is ludicrous considering many Victorian seniors, resident carers and disability support pensioners in other regions are able to travel for free on Sundays,” Mr Northe said.
“It’s shameful, and is an issue that will be pushed until Gippsland seniors, resident carers and disability pensioners are afforded the same rights as those in other regional centres.”
Media contact: Russell Northe (03) 5133 9088
