Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Peters Urges NZ Bus To Reconsider Fare Decision
10 October 2008
Peters Urges NZ Bus To Reconsider Wellington Fare Decision
New Zealand First Leader Rt
Hon Winston Peters says the decision by a Wellington bus
company to increase some fares for 60-65 year olds is
inconsistent and he urges the company to reconsider.
“It is simply a matter of greed by NZ Bus and its owner Infratil,” said Mr Peters.
“To use the SuperGold Card initiative as an excuse for raising fares goes against everything the Card was set up for.
“As part of the SuperGold Card initiative, New Zealand First negotiated free off-peak travel for those over 65. This began on 1 October in most regions and is fully subsidised by the Government. There is nothing in the policy that could justify NZ Bus’s decision to remove discounted rates on some of its fares for seniors aged between 60 and 65.
“This decision by NZ Bus means that the cost of an all-day off-peak pass in the Wellington region has risen from $5 to $12 for those seniors not yet eligible for a SuperGold Card.
“Yet NZ Bus is still offering discounted rates on off-peak single trip tickets for the same age bracket.
“This inconsistency shows NZ Bus’s rationale for its decision as the flimsy excuse it is. Rather, it is just a quick, greedy decision to make some extra profit.
“It is a mean-spirited attack on a small group of senior citizens who deserve better and I urge NZ Bus to reconsider,” said Mr Peters.
ENDS
Gordon Campbell: On unemployment, Winston Peters’ low boiling point and music criticism
Labour Party: National Gaslights Women Fighting For Equal Pay
The Treasury: New Treasury Paper On The Productivity Slowdown
NZ Government: Government Recommits To Equal Pay
Emily Ireland - Local Democracy Reporter: Deputy Mayor ‘disgusted’ By Response To Georgina Beyer Sculpture
Te Pāti Māori: Māori Unemployment Rate Increases By More Than Four-Times National Rates
Government: Streamlining Building Consent Changes
