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[WA] Free Public Transport for all SmartRider Users from 14/12/24 through 05/02/25 @ Transperth

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[WA] Free Public Transport for all SmartRider Users from 14/12/24 through 05/02/25 @ Transperth
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save50 on 23/11/2024 - 22:40 perthnow.com.au (242 clicks)
Last edited 23/11/2024 - 23:23 by 1 other user

According to PerthNow: Western Australians will be able to hop on a train, bus or ferry free this summer as part of a $14 million cost-of-living measure announced by the State Government.

The scheme, which also ran last summer, will begin on December 14 and runs until February 5, and is available to SmartRider users in Perth and regional WA.

A family of four can save up to $30 on a single trip in public transport costs through the initiative, while anyone working through the summer break could save more than $40 a week on the cost of commuting.

Passengers must tag on and off at the beginning and end of their journey to access free travel, and parking will also be free at Transperth stations with a SmartRider.

Patrons would receive travel fines if they did not use their SmartRider and tag on and off when they travel.

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Comments

  • fantombloo on 23/11/2024 - 22:45
    +9

    Digging these initiatives. Hopefully helping to normalise public transport.

  • Francis82 on 23/11/2024 - 22:46

    Fairplay labor WA

  • Mike Nolan on 23/11/2024 - 23:00
    +3

    Username checks out (if you live in QLD)

  • Jayblesz on 23/11/2024 - 23:05
    +4

    I'm moving back to WA in January just for this.

  • stickyfingers on 23/11/2024 - 23:08
    +2

    What’s W/H mean?

    • adrianhughes1998 on 23/11/2024 - 23:10

      Guessing it means you gotta use the Smart rider

    • dealhunter-007 on 23/11/2024 - 23:14

      Who Have

    • rustyshackleford on 23/11/2024 - 23:14
      +2

      With the help of? Watt-hour? Withold? Walter Hwhite?

    • John on 23/11/2024 - 23:34

      Western Hozies

  • bamzero on 23/11/2024 - 23:12

    I'll just need to spend $20 to get a SmartRider first.

    • entropysbane on 23/11/2024 - 23:21

      It’s weird, the government is incurring the cost of processing the fare even though the fare is free.

      And I thought Qld was silly charging 50¢ when the cost of processing the fare would cost more than 50¢. If the 50¢ is permanent might as well make the fare free, and shut the fare collection infrastructure altogether and reduce costs.

      • bamzero on 23/11/2024 - 23:26
        +5

        Well the system is already in place so I don't know how much cost they'd incur.

        But this way they can keep tabs on how many free fares they gave and put a $ value on it come election time.

        • LVlahov on 23/11/2024 - 23:32
          +1

          Also relevant for future passenger movement modelling and to work out where they need more services.

      • nussbuster on 24/11/2024 - 01:59

        It’s weird, the government is incurring the cost of processing the fare even though the fare is free.

        What cost of processing are you referring to?

        Do you mean the electricity required to send the signal? Or the storage space required for the database record of the tag on/off event?

    • sub102 on 23/11/2024 - 23:39

      Isn't a smartrider $10?

      • bamzero on 24/11/2024 - 00:07
        +1

        Technically yeh $10 for the card and $10 non refundable credit. I don't normally use public transport so I think of it as $20 ;)

        • Exorcist on 24/11/2024 - 01:47

          dont normally use, dont use now, easy

  • Charlie Dont Surf on 23/11/2024 - 23:12
    +2

    Thought they might've run this right up to the State Election.

    • dwbr on 24/11/2024 - 00:33
      +1

      Clearly it is.

  • LVlahov on 23/11/2024 - 23:31
    -3

    Government going real hard on trying to bribe people to vote for it. Years ago when a higher level of integrity was expected it would have been called out.

    • lachlantula on 23/11/2024 - 23:32

      doing things that benefit the general public = bribery?

      • LVlahov on 23/11/2024 - 23:33
        -2

        Slap dash last minute temporary things that don't really make a difference but sound good right before an election is due… yes.

        • paaj on 23/11/2024 - 23:37
          +3

          But didn't they also do this last year? Plus making fare free for school kids all year?
          I'm not denying it helps with their election but they're probably still better than WA libs.

          • LVlahov on 23/11/2024 - 23:49
            -4

            @paaj: This government is high on demonstrable 'nothings' that barely move the needle but get attention and have been throughout their term yes.

            And in terms of how things are in WA at the moment yes… it is easily the best run state in Australia, and the state government has been able to keep increases to taxes and state charges to a minimum because of the history of good management in the state, and the strength of its resource economy. Any government of either stripe under the current conditions would 'look' good (in terms of government financials and cost of living support). Liberals no different.

            However this is the worst government WA has ever had .. it just it won't become apparent (to your regular Joe) for a decade. And don't take that as a flippant statement there is some serious thinking behind it - I do not make the claim idly.

            Part of the reason WA has always been a great place to live, and hasn't tended to have the social cohesion and government debt issues of other states is because of its relatively stable political system, balance of power between rural and regional areas, and fact leftist governments have tended to have to stick very much to the centre to get elected and rule.

            In terms of how things can go wrong when this is altered look at the Labor government's huge defeat in Queensland in their recent election, and the current mess Victoria is in (in terms of runaway debt, and overspend left & right under its Labor government).

            The stabilising force (a legislative council that balanced urban and rural representation and via this progressive and conservative leanings) that helped WA so well for 120 odd years since federation was re-written by the Labor party to ensure (effectively) any party that wins Perth can govern the state without having to worry about balancing concerns of regional areas. Which in turn will mean that Labor can lurch much further to the left, and no longer need to please as much of the centre or the right (or regional areas) in terms of its policy platform and spend.

            And note my argument: WA has done well because of the relatively narrower set of policies that have been possible in its past, and the degree it forces both urban areas and rural to be served by the government in order for it to be elected and re-elected.

            • paaj on 23/11/2024 - 23:53
              -1

              @LVlahov: I suppose we're lucky with the resource industry and the GST cut we get. That being said I thought the previous Lib government added a lot to our debt.
              Let's be honest though, all pollies are crooked and will do anything to stay in power.
              Let's just enjoy the free transport while we can eh

              • LVlahov on 24/11/2024 - 00:00
                -2

                @paaj: Debt in WA hasn't been an issue under either government but that is the point, both governments in the past had it in their political interests to manage things in that way, even if the progressive half of the Labor Party wanted to do differently. Now they are free to attack the earning parts of the economy, and spend more profusely which will cause problems later on.

                Which we already massively saw with them pushing through laws regarding land use and First Nations rights, which thankfully we would have ended up seeing 'French' style protests by our farmers if they had stayed.

                But next time the targets can be made smaller, and such moves made again. You understand a government can get away with a lot more if the only way to stop it is essentially to protest the government to a shutdown vs them having to go and negotiate of just simply be unable to pass unpopular legislation in the first place.

        • Paccers on 24/11/2024 - 00:35

          Here's a link from the WA Gov's media statement for the same initiative they carried out in 2023-2024 summer.

          Don't let a 5 second Google search get in the way of your whinge @LVlahov!

          • LVlahov on 24/11/2024 - 00:50

            @Paccers: The fact you are even making a post like that indicates you aren't really parsing what the discussion has been in the thread dude. Note "high on demonstrable nothings". i.e. yes, I understand the government has repeatedly taken such actions. It has very little oversight or ability for anyone to stop them in the current parliament and it is much harder to hold them to account thanks to their rearrangement of the political system.

            • Exorcist on 24/11/2024 - 01:52
              -1

              @LVlahov: you must be fun at parties

              • LVlahov on 24/11/2024 - 02:10
                -1

                @Exorcist: Depends if someone wants to hear group think parroted back at them or engage with realty.

    • sw00p on 23/11/2024 - 23:33

      Citation required.

      • LVlahov on 23/11/2024 - 23:35
        -1

        Not for anyone that was born pre 1985 (because people don't usually need a citation for things they lived through).

        • sw00p on 23/11/2024 - 23:39

          They might, however, provide some auto-ethnographic data that they unpack with reference to a news article at the very least.

          • LVlahov on 23/11/2024 - 23:54
            -2

            @sw00p: Finding specific citations for minor events and news stories that took place pre-internet would be a pretty serious effort dude. Every news story and every political move being recallable with an internet search is a 2000 to 2024 thing, not an 80's and 90's thing.

    • tanastra on 23/11/2024 - 23:44

      QLD done it and still lost

      • INFIDEL on 24/11/2024 - 00:16

        Not relevant to WA - as both major parties in Qld made the same election promise.
        So who ever won, it would be 50c fares.

        LNP price matched promised fare - which neutralised it as an incentive to vote for ALP.
        So unlikely an influence on Qld election outcome.

        Still 50c fares in Qld under LNP.

  • PissLUR on 23/11/2024 - 23:58

    Nice

  • shaidas on 24/11/2024 - 00:35

    I think it is great for everyone in WA..no move in any State by any party is made without an eye on the votes that is democracy today.. a cut throat business ..so whinging will not help because no one cares .. basically it boils down to spend 20 dollars and free transport from Dec 14 to Feb 10…what ..who..why ..is irrelevant to the poor who will actually use it and that is a good thing and a good move by the govt in WA

  • YoursTruly on 24/11/2024 - 00:56
    -2

    as part of a $14 million cost-of-living measure announced by the State Government.

    Band-aid solution this is. Short-term basically.

    The WA govt should actually help its citizens attain self-home ownership (home as a PRIMARY RIGHT FIRST; and minimise the reliance of a home as an investment). That would help address a lot of the cost-of-living issues at its roots.

    (An example of this method of govt helping its people is the Netherlands. It has a high rate of self-home ownership in the world at %80+, and is aiming to get it to %90+)

    These other short-term band-aids solutions should be done as bonus after that.

    • INFIDEL on 24/11/2024 - 01:10
      -1

      However, the Netherlands is experiencing an acute housing crisis, with affordability and availability issues.

      In the Netherlands it's a very different approach to housing, with over 29% renting in 2022
      It is one of the top renting countries in the world

      It has a high rate of Social Housing, with housing associations owning about 75% of rental properties. Dutch have the security to rent long term (sometimes for life), unlike here.

      • YoursTruly on 24/11/2024 - 01:25
        -1

        The Norwegian Housing Model

        According to Statistics Norway, nearly 80 percent of people in Norway live in a home owned by someone in the household. This makes Norway one of the European countries with the highest homeownership rate.

    • shaidas on 24/11/2024 - 01:26
      -1

      18 million people in Netherlands vs 26 million in population out here is how you compare your home ownership and theirs ? ..how about comparing to the 1.2 billion people living in India and feeling happy and not whinging ? You reckon if free public travel was introduced in India or Netherlands anyone would complain ? As far as home ownership goes remember stats are based on numbers …our numbers are higher than Netherlands ..we have a LOT more land than Netherlands but most is uninhabitable without investment

    • INFIDEL on 24/11/2024 - 01:54

      the Netherlands’ Next-Level Housing Crisis

      Seems things aren't as rosy in the Netherlands as you make out!

      the Netherlands @70% has a lower rate of home ownership compared with most European countries!!
      Just ahead of Australia @66%!

      The Netherlands still has a renting culture, with over 29% of people renting in mainly community owned rental properties - not run for investment & tax gains like mainly private rentals here.

      Housing models that work in 1 country often don't work in others!!

      Our emphasis of home ownership has been on investment income, capital gains & tax minimisation. Governments would be very brave to take on changes to those vested interests😜

  • umoddbro on 24/11/2024 - 01:21
    -4

    Prefer a fuel voucher instead….

    • INFIDEL on 24/11/2024 - 02:02

      Save money by catching public transport💰

      • umoddbro on 24/11/2024 - 02:12

        No thanks too many derros

  • shaidas on 24/11/2024 - 01:33

    Good for WA I say ..good for the people who need it the most

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