Today, the State Member for Moggill, Dr Christian Rowan MP, said that the Transport Minister Jackie Trad has broken an election promise during the second day of Budget estimates hearings, revealing public transport fares will increase by almost double the inflation rate.
Dr Rowan said this was a devastating blow to transport users after the LNP worked hard to improve affordability by cutting fares in 2014 and freezing them altogether this year.
“During the Estimates session the Minister confirmed an increase would be 2.5 per cent from 1 January 2016, breaking Labor’s election promise to keep the rise at the inflation rate,” Dr Rowan said.
“Not only are fares going up by 2.5 per cent, Minister Trad also refused to rule out a return to the bad old days where public transport fares went up by 15 per cent under Labor.
“Today’s hike in public transport fares follows the same approach Labor took with car registration, using motorists as cash cows by increasing the cost by almost double the inflation rate.
Dr Rowan said the Minister also refused to rule out scrapping the LNP’s successful free trips after nine journeys which will have an adverse effect on those residents of Moggill who currently utilise this scheme.
“Public transport users will be the biggest losers if Labor continues with its vindictive approach to wiping the slate clean of LNP policies, despite their successes.
“Labor has failed to provide extra public transport services, has no plan for infrastructure and rail reliability is forecasted to get worse.
“This is undoing the LNP’s good work to reach record on-time running results, putting an end to Labor’s 15 per cent annual hike in public transport fares and adding 3000 train and bus services.”
Dr Rowan said Labor claimed accountability and integrity to be the cornerstone of its Government but today it had broken its election promise.
“While the LNP drove down the cost of public transport fares, Labor is doing the complete opposite,” he said.
“Queenslanders didn’t vote for this.”
