Free public transport ruled out for NSW as fuel crisis worsens

The Minns government has ruled out free public transport for Sydney, despite the Victorian and Tasmanian governments announcing fully subsidised fares, as petrol prices soar.

NSW Transport Minister John Graham on Sunday said, “serious contingency planning is under way” to alleviate the surge in demand for fuel, as the war in Iran is expected to continue for at least another month.

Premier Chris Minns has called for a nationally unified approach to the fuel crisis, but NSW demurred as Tasmania and Victoria announced free public transport to encourage people to switch from driving and to ease the surge in fuel demand.

“The NSW government isn’t going down the path of free public transport for a couple of days or months,” Graham said.

“It’s millions of dollars every single day [of free public transport].

“This situation will last more than a month. We need to keep our powder dry to be able to assist the broader economy. We are really planning to make sure that we can make it through this next period.”

Graham said other measures would be needed, but he did not elaborate ahead of Monday’s national cabinet meeting.

Sydney’s public transport use has increased since the war began more than four weeks ago. Commuter numbers on rail and metro are up 4.5 per cent and 3.7 per cent on buses compared to three weeks earlier.

A total of 66 petrol stations have run out of all fuel types, about one in 37 of the state’s stations, according to Fair Trading NSW. About one in seven (371 petrol stations) have run out of at least one fuel type, and almost one in 10 (229) have run out of diesel.

The NSW Rail, Tram and Bus Union urged the NSW government to urgently follow Victoria and Tasmania’s decision to make public transport free, or at least drop fare prices, and increase the number of services.

“The fuel crisis is already having a devastating impact on local workers, families and industries. The NSW government has a responsibility to act,” RTBU NSW secretary Toby Warnes said.

“Public transport fares are a lever the state government has complete control of. The NSW government has already waited too long. They need to act now.

Graham, when asked whether the government would introduce extra bus and train services, said the government was examining patterns of use and was open to adjusting services. He said it would “lift services where appropriate”.

NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane criticised the government for refusing to fully subsidise public transport over the Easter long weekend to allow families and small businesses to save some money.

Emergency laws will be rushed into federal parliament on Monday in an urgent bid to boost Australia’s fuel stocks, and importers will be given unprecedented government backing to scour the globe for increasingly rare and expensive shipments of petrol, diesel, crude oil and fertiliser.

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