Petrol Prices - Half-Price Bus Fares 17/3/26

Ms BURNET question to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT, Mr VINCENT

[10.36 a.m.]

We're in the middle of a global shock with the war in Iran, which has seen fuel prices almost double in Tasmania in the space of a few weeks. With Tasmania being the most car dependent state in the nation, this is already causing massive pain for voters and we have no idea when it will end. While the price of fuel is not something you have much control over, ensuring our public transport is accessible and affordable and reliable is. Will you commit to extending half‑price bus fares beyond 30 June 2026 and look at introducing free fares for students to give parents some much needed cost‑of‑living relief?

ANSWER

Honourable Speaker, I thank the honourable member for the question. It's something that we are all thinking about pretty seriously at the moment. It is already starting to be a subject that is at the forefront of everybody's mind on where they go for even Easter holidays and restrictions and we have seen a lot of consideration of people's transport over the last week and I think that will continue to be so.

Our Deputy Premier is having - it feels like and sounds like in the briefings I've had ‑ daily meetings both locally to ensure our stock levels are right and supply is okay and the same on a federal basis as well. We are constantly looking at the cost‑of‑living pressures and we're very proud to have done the half‑price fares and that is in place. We are continuing to look at that and other measures. I will be happy to brief parliament as those measures are worked through and discussed.

Supplementary Question

Ms BURNET - Honourable Speaker, this is a matter of cost‑of‑living. We are in a cost‑of‑living crisis and fuel prices are going up. We need to make public transport much more affordable and accessible. How will the minister commit to that?

Mr VINCENT - I'm not sure I can commit any more than what I've just already said for that question but I understand the passion behind it and, as I said, everybody's thinking along those ways now at all levels of the community. It is something my office and all my colleagues involved are discussing on a daily basis and we are committed, as the government of Tasmania, to reviewing and seeing what can be done as much as we possibly can.