Unused go card funds will be reinvested into public transport after five years
Unused funds on Queensland go cards will be transferred back to the state after five years of inactivity to be reinvested into public transport.
Under the current laws, there is the option for unclaimed go card funds to be transferred to the Public Trustee Office after only two years of inactivity.
Go cards funds which haven’t been used for more than five years will be reinvested back into public transport, under legislation to provide better protection for commuters.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson says the changes will ensure funds are always available for holders, while dormant funds, sitting on go cards which haven’t been used for more than half a decade, will not be lost to public transport.
“We felt this wasn’t a reasonable length of time, so have extended the dormant period to five years,” he says.
“However rather than those funds remaining dormant forever, if they aren’t claimed by the holder after five years they will now be reinvested back into public transport.
“These changes won’t prevent the card holder from reclaiming or transferring funds at any time – whether the five-year period has lapsed or not.”
Emerson says there have been about 65,000 go cards which have remained dormant for more than five years with just 168 people applying for a refund or balance transfer.
“I would encourage anyone who has an old go card to ring TransLink and transfer the balance to their current card,” he says.
“This is a sensible amendment to our laws to make sure we are continuing to invest in more frequent and reliable services and initiatives such as more Senior Network Officers.”
Almost $400 million is loaded on to 2 million active go cards each year.