❓ A question regarding the Liberal-National government's free off-peak travel initiative for WA Seniors Card holders and its impact on older Western Australians. The Minister's answer highlights the benefits and usage of the program.
AnsweredQoN 194Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PUBLIC TRANSPORT — SENIORS
194. MR N.W. MORTON to the Minister for
Seniors and Volunteering:
Can the minister please outline to
the house how the Liberal–National government's free off-peak
travel initiative for WA Seniors Card holders has supported and encouraged
older Western Australians to lead full and active lives?
194. MR N.W. MORTON to the Minister for
Seniors and Volunteering:
Can the minister please outline to
the house how the Liberal–National government's free off-peak
travel initiative for WA Seniors Card holders has supported and encouraged
older Western Australians to lead full and active lives?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his question.
Yes; he is right. The WA Seniors Card is the most generous seniors card in
Australia and helps support seniors in their day-to-day living. This is the
only state in Australia that gives cash payments as a cost-of-living rebate.
Also, of course, the grandparent payment is a cash payment, and, again, Western
Australia is the only state in Australia that does that. Of course, there are
over 15 concessions that can help seniors live well in our community, with
discounts on photo identification cards, drivers' licences and even
fishing licences, as well as discounts to museums and parks.
When we came to government in 2008,
the then Minister for Transport and I launched free public transport services
during off-peak periods for seniors. That has been an outstanding success, with
over 53 million trips being taken by seniors in Western Australia. Of those
trips, 5.4 million were taken on the Mandurah line. Over nine million free
trips were taken in 2015, with a saving of somewhere between 60c and $4.20 per
senior travel trip and a total of nearly $32 million in savings for seniors in Western
Australia.
Last November, we launched our
off-peak free travel service between 6.00 pm and 7.00 am. Over 176 000 seniors
have taken up that service for free travel in the evenings in the first six
months. It is fantastic to see seniors getting out in our community. We want to
make sure that we support them with free public transport and that they are
given access to the WA Seniors Card so they can get discounts and all those
concessions. Western Australia is the only state in Australia that people
should want to live in, with over 15 concessions. I look forward to seniors in
Forrestfield with WA Seniors Cards catching the train to Perth when that line
is opened. More importantly, our government is very supportive of seniors in Western
Australia.
Yes; he is right. The WA Seniors Card is the most generous seniors card in
Australia and helps support seniors in their day-to-day living. This is the
only state in Australia that gives cash payments as a cost-of-living rebate.
Also, of course, the grandparent payment is a cash payment, and, again, Western
Australia is the only state in Australia that does that. Of course, there are
over 15 concessions that can help seniors live well in our community, with
discounts on photo identification cards, drivers' licences and even
fishing licences, as well as discounts to museums and parks.
When we came to government in 2008,
the then Minister for Transport and I launched free public transport services
during off-peak periods for seniors. That has been an outstanding success, with
over 53 million trips being taken by seniors in Western Australia. Of those
trips, 5.4 million were taken on the Mandurah line. Over nine million free
trips were taken in 2015, with a saving of somewhere between 60c and $4.20 per
senior travel trip and a total of nearly $32 million in savings for seniors in Western
Australia.
Last November, we launched our
off-peak free travel service between 6.00 pm and 7.00 am. Over 176 000 seniors
have taken up that service for free travel in the evenings in the first six
months. It is fantastic to see seniors getting out in our community. We want to
make sure that we support them with free public transport and that they are
given access to the WA Seniors Card so they can get discounts and all those
concessions. Western Australia is the only state in Australia that people
should want to live in, with over 15 concessions. I look forward to seniors in
Forrestfield with WA Seniors Cards catching the train to Perth when that line
is opened. More importantly, our government is very supportive of seniors in Western
Australia.
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