The main transport workers’ union in NSW has called on the state government to scrap fares on public transport as more people ditch cars due to the rising cost of petrol.
With diesel reaching above $3 a litre in some parts of the country, and unleaded not too far behind, more people are using public transport to commute to and from work.
With higher inflation and interest rates also contributing to cost-of-living pressures, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) believes public transport fares should either be reduced significantly or temporarily removed altogether.
The government says oil shipments haven’t been hugely impacted by the recent conflict in the Middle East, with federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen declaring only six of the 81 shipments of oil to Australia since the conflict began earlier this month have been cancelled.
He dismissed any notions that fuel rationing might become necessary in certain regions of Australia, even though some gas stations have temporarily run out of fuel.
“The federal government possesses certain powers, but we have no plans to exercise them,” he affirmed.
He acknowledged that there may be occasional “disruptions in supply.”
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