KEEN AS MUSTARD
She’s in the hot seat – Commonwealth Games Minister Kate Jones. With under 1000 days until the Gold Coast hosts the event in 2018, the pressure is on. But she found some time to talk with Coast Weekend on where things are at and her hopes and dreams for t
For candid answers from Minister Kate Jones on all things Commonwealth Games, what it could mean for the Gold Coast and her thoughts on things like whether the pool facility should have a roof, turn to p6-7 for ‘Kate Jones uncut’. For the hopes and dreams and frustrations of Gold Coast same-sex couples who live in a country where they can’t legally get married, turn to p4-5 for our cover story ‘50 Shades of Gay’. The best places for Indian food can be found on p8 in our latest ‘Best of’ poll. As always our bumper What’s On guide is on p12-13, listing the best activities, shows, gigs and markets happening today and tomorrow on the Gold Coast. And for local seniors wondering why the council’s free off-peak bus travel does not also apply to the tram system, Public Defender Jack Harbour is on the case
DRIVING a car was all John Walsh had known since moving to the Gold Coast in 2007. But when he received a flyer in his mailbox from Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate encouraging seniors to use buses free of charge in off-peak times, John thought he would do his bit for the city and reduce road congestion.
So as the G:link tram replaced the bus system along the Gold Coast Highway route in late 2014, Walsh was flabbergasted free off-peak travel for seniors did not apply to trams too.
“I didn’t go looking for the (bus) program. Tom Tate introduced it and then he started handing out flyers saying give it a go,” John says.
“Over the next three to six months we thought rather than take the car we will give it a go. We found it was one or two stops on the bus, the bus was convenient. We weren’t taking the car anymore and it became a habit. We started to keep our car off the road.
“They initiated the program and there were buses every 15 minutes up and down Gold Coast Highway. Then within nine months as soon as the trams started to run there’s no bus that actually runs now between Surfers and Southport, it’s been replaced by the trams.
“That’s what the contentious point is — the fact the program exists but it only exists on the buses.”
At the time, an annoyed John contacted city public transport planner Peter Jensen who wrote back on July 25, last year, to confirm Mayor Tate’s support for ‘free buses for seniors’ program to apply to trams.
“After listening to the feedback received from many seniors, Cr Tom Tate has written to the Hon. Scott Emerson, Minister Transport and Main Roads asking that the State Government approve extending the “Free Seniors Travel” initiative to include off-peak travel on the “G” Light Rail,” Peter wrote.
“This would be funded by the City of Gold Coast but does require the Hon. Minister to approve it.”
Since then the State Government has changed. Public Defender asked Mayor Tate if he planned to ask the new government to extend the free bus trips for seniors to the trams.
Mayor Tate replied he’d be willing to seek council support for a threeyear deal for the existing free travel for seniors on buses: “As for the light rail component, that is a matter for the State Government.”
A spokeswoman from the office of the deputy premier Jackie Trad told
Public Defender last week the Minister for Transport was dealing with the council’s request for an extension to the program.
But the representative said any changes would have to be signed off on by TransLink: “Any changes would need to be discussed and agreed upon with City of Gold Coast Council and TransLink.
“The Deputy Premier’s Office has not received a formal request from the City of Gold Coast Council to include Gold Coast Light Rail in this trial. The Deputy Premier’s Office would be happy to meet with representatives from the City of Gold Coast Council to discuss a request to extend the trial to light rail.”
John says he is frustrated with the bureaucracy that has led to interruption to the initiative that has become a big part of his life in recent years.
“I’ve certainly been on the trams and it’s not as if it’s a capacity issue off-peak, it just seems to be bureaucratic,” he said.
The Surfers Paradise local and former IT consultant said he had almost given up on pursuing upgrades to the initiative until he read about movements from local politicians to address an issue with gridlock on the Gold Coast.
“Where it started to get me thinking again was we’re now talking about spending megabucks on upgrading our highways because we have this gridlock and they’re discontinuing part of the program where the gridlock exists,” he said.
“It just didn’t make any sense.”
THAT’S WHAT THE CONTENTIOUS POINT IS – IT ONLY EXISTS ON THE BUSES (NOT TRAMS)