A loophole has been closed to allow extremely disabled diggers in Queensland free public transport
November 12, 2012
Queensland veterans living with ‘extreme disablement’ will soon be able to travel for free on public transport services across Queensland, the state’s transport minister Scott Emerson says.
Emerson says from January 1, 2013 veterans who hold a Commonwealth Veterans’ Affairs Repatriation Health Card—for All Conditions (Gold) which is embossed EDA (Extreme Disablement Adjustment) will be able to apply for a travel pass.
“The current free travel pass is already available to totally and permanently incapacitated veterans and will now be extended to EDA veterans,” Emerson says.
“This closes a loophole for about 2,300 veterans aged over 65 living in Queensland and will help more diggers get out into the wider community and will relieve cost of living pressures.
Eligible veterans will be entitled to travel for free on TransLink bus, rail and ferry services in south-east Queensland and urban bus and ferry services in regional Queensland.
Emerson says the free travel for EDA veterans brings Queensland into line with other states, and will cost the Queensland Government $146,000.
Eligible veterans must apply for a travel pass to access the concessions with information available at www.tmr.qld.gov.au
Meanwhile, faulty Go Card readers are already allowing more than 1,300 free bus rides for the general public in south east Queensland each day.
According to TransLink figures,
the free rides
have increased 27 percent from 984 a year ago.
The figures are based on an average of 328,000 bus trips a day.
The error rate is reportedly above standards set in Cubic’s contract.