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Plan to offer salary incentives to use buses, bikes

Bikes and bus tickets could soon be included as a menu item in Canberra public servants’ salary packages. The ACT Government

Bikes and bus tickets could soon be included as a menu item in Canberra public servants’ salary packages.

The ACT Government has given in-principle approval to a new plan that would let public servants choose to purchase a bike or bus tickets instead of a car, as part of their salary package.

The Government has agreed the Legislative Assembly’s public accounts committee’s recommendation – that the Commissioner for Public Administration “explore the feasibility of the inclusion of more environmentally friendly transport items, such as bicycles and bus tickets, as approved salary packaging menu items for ACT Public Service employees” – provided the Australian Taxation Office approves it.

The ACT Greens have welcomed the formal agreement.

“This is one of the ways that we can encourage more Canberrans to take up other options to get to work,” says ACT Greens leader, Meredith Hunter.

“There can be financial, health and environmental benefits for people who want to leave the car at home – from fitness to parking to carbon footprint.

“The changes are subject to advice from the ATO, but we would hope that they won’t find any reason not to allow more transport options in the salary packaging,” she says.

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