By Callum Godde and Tom Wark
Millions of Australians will ride public transport for free but the fuel relief measure won’t be rolled out nationwide.
Victoria and Tasmania on Sunday unveiled a temporary fare reprieve as motorists continue to face price pain at the petrol pump.
Uncertainty and crimped oil supplies due to the Iran war have driven up costs and led to fuel shortages at hundreds of service stations.
In response, the Victorian government will make public transport free for a month from Tuesday to encourage people to ditch their cars and offset rising fuel costs.
The move is expected to cost Victoria $71 million in lost revenue.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said a regular daily user could save up to $220 over the course of April.
She acknowledged the temporary measure would not solve cost-of-living pressures but argued it would ease demand for petrol.
“People are looking to their governments to do more,” she told reporters on Sunday. “We should, and we need to.”
Public transport patronage will be monitored to gauge if extra services are needed to cope with the forecast influx of passengers.
In Tasmania, travel on buses and ferries will be free from Monday until July 1.
An adult catching the bus from Dodges Ferry into Hobart for work each day would save $88 a week, Transport Minister Kerry Vincent said.
“Families are feeling the pinch, and this important cost-of-living measure will deliver real savings,” she said.
Other states have been reluctant to follow suit.
The ACT’s Assembly on Tuesday voted against a motion from the Canberra Liberals to introduce 50-cent public transport fares.
NSW Transport Minister John Graham said the state government would not introduce short-term free travel.
“This situation will last more than a month,” he said. “We need to keep our powder dry to be able to assist the broader economy.”
NSW Liberal leader Kellie Sloane said it was “beyond belief” the Minns government had not acted to provide free, or at least reduced, public transport fares.
“Queensland’s transport fares are essentially free year-round, Victoria and Tasmania are now giving free fares, but the people of NSW are missing out,” she said.
AAP has been told the Queensland Liberal National government has no plans to change its current policy of 50-cent fares.
WA Premier Roger Cook was non-committal on following Victoria and Tasmania, instead talking up “historically low” existing fares.
“Rick Astley was top of the charts when fares were this low in Western Australia back in the 80s,” he said.
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