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Greens campaign for 50 cent fares across the country

The Australian Greens election pitch aims to tackle the skyrocketing cost-of-living and save households thousands

As the Queensland government continues to see success from its 50 cent public transport fare plan, the Australian Greens are now pushing to take the cost-of-living initiative national.

The announcement is the latest in the series of the Greens’ ‘Robin Hood reforms’ that will be put on the table in any post-election negotiations.

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Australian Greens leader Adam Brandt, transport spokesperson Elizabeth Watson-Brown and Prahran candidate Angelica Di Camillo made the announcement at a pre-poll booth at the Prahran by-election over the weekend, saying the plan would save households thousands.

“The average household is spending almost $450 a week on transport, meanwhile Australia’s billionaires are making $67,000 an hour,” Waston-Brown says.

“After years of Greens pressure, Queensland has 50c fares for good. Now we’re fighting to roll this out nationwide.

“Queensland’s recent shift to 50c fares has been proven to be a huge success. It has reduced traffic and emissions, massively increased ridership on public transport, and saved Queenslanders millions.”

The Greens plan would see a full-time worker in Melbourne save $50 a week, or $2,400 a year. In Sydney a full-time worker would save $2,160 a year, in Perth $2,006, and in Adelaide $1,872.

An independent costing by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) reveals it would cost the federal government $8.1 billion dollars over the forward estimates. This money would be used to fund the lost ticket revenue from introducing the 50 cent fares.

The plan also included a one-off $250 million-dollar fund to help states and territories transition to ‘smart ticketing’, allowing passengers to pay for fares using debit or credit cards, and their phones.

”The Greens will make big corporations and billionaires pay tax so you can have 50c fares,” Bandt says.

“In a wealthy country like ours, everyone should be able to afford the basics. 50c fares will help people make ends meet.

“We can’t keep voting for the same two parties and expecting a different result. This election will be the most important in a generation. By electing more Greens we can keep Peter Dutton out and get Labor to act on the cost-of-living crisis.

“With poll after poll indicating we’re headed towards a minority parliament, if people vote Greens we can get cost-of-living relief like 50c fares.”

Melbourne residents in particular could see massive savings, with its current public transport fares ranking amongst some of the most expensive in the world.

Back in November of last year however, the Legalise Cannabis party put forward a motion to trial free free buses in Melbourne, which was quickly shut down.

The motion, ran by Western Metro MP David Ettershank and South Eastern MP Rachel Payne, was run on the belief that “accessible and affordable public transport for all is an equity issue”.

The end motion only saw six ministers agree to the call, with 30 rejecting it.

“Melbourne residents have copped three fare increases in the last 18 months alone, and have some of the most expensive public transport in the world,” Di Camillo says.

“But under the Greens’ plan to make public transport 50 cents nationwide, Melbourne households could save almost $5,000 a year.

“I catch the 78 tram every week along Chapel street to get to Pilates or Prahran market, and the cost absolutely adds up.

“50-cent fares would provide much-needed cost-of-living relief to people across Prahran.”

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