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CountryLink needs more than scrapped booking fee
Wednesday 10 June 2009
Greens MP and transport spokesperson Lee Rhiannon says Premier Nathan Rees must do far more to reverse the hits taken by CountryLink over a decade of Labor government than scrap the pensioner booking fee it imposed in 2006.
"Axing the booking fee for pensioners is
welcome but CountryLink services need open heart surgery not this one
off cosmetic fix," Ms Rhiannon said.
"Successive Labor
transport ministers have transformed CountryLink into a bus based
service. The government has raised fares, provided less frequent and
slower services, closed lines, cut staff and shut down CountryLink
travel centres.
"Premier Rees must deliver a considered and comprehensive plan to restore CountryLink to the much loved service it was.
"This
policy announcement is a meagre offering designed to drum up positive
media during the community cabinet meeting in Bathurst.
"NSW Labor has chosen to submit CountryLink to death by 1,000 cuts, reducing it to a shadow of its former self.
"The
Rees government cannot afford to ignore the spectre of climate change
and rapidly rising oil prices, which demand maintaining and
strengthening rail services.
"Properly revitalising CountryLink services will help commuters, the environment, jobs and regional tourism.
"If
Premier Rees fails to act the Carr government's 1998 election promise
to maintain and upgrade CountryLink rail services over the next decade
will continue to ring hollow," Ms Rhiannon said.
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