By Alex Cooper
MELBOURNE — In a move described as "mean spirited" by Ruth Crow of the Public Transport Users Association, the Kennett government has made elderly people the latest victims of its public transport cuts. During Senior Citizens Week (March 28-April 4) public transport has traditionally been free to "senior citizens" — but no more.
Meanwhile Jeff Kennett, as a politician, still has his "gold pass" which entitles him to free travel on all public transport, and free business class air fares around Australia. And he has a chauffeur-driven limousine, also paid for by the taxpayer.
Kennett is facing a rebellion in National Party ranks over the closing down of country rail services. After protest meetings of 1000 in Warrnambool and 600 at Colac, National Party backbencher Ken Jasper (Murray Valley) became the first Coalition MP to publicly break ranks with Kennett's public transport cuts.
Other National Party MPs privately support Jasper, and a National Party conference in April may vote against the cuts to country rail services.
Many shire and city councils in areas where rail lines are threatened are campaigning along with residents.
People with disabilities have also organised. On January 27, 200 angry people — many in wheelchairs — attended a demonstration organised by the Disability Resource Centre at Parliament House to protest against the cuts to public transport. Speakers pointed out that the 8 p.m. closure of some train lines means that a curfew will be imposed on people with disabilities, in particular people in wheelchairs, who cannot use the trams or buses.
The complete closure of two of the metropolitan rail lines will make people with disabilities prisoners in their own homes.
Kennett's proposal that more special taxis be made available is seen by many people as an very inadequate substitute for public transport. The taxis have to be booked well in advance because there are not enough of them.
On January 23, 500 people demonstrated at the Brunswick tram depot against the threatened closure of the Upfield line. After hearing two speakers, they marched up Sydney Rd to the Coburg railway station for a family picnic day. According to an activist in the Save the Upfield Line Campaign, the closure of the line is directly linked to plans to build a privately run freeway along part of the route.
A similar group has been formed in Williamstown to fight the closure of its rail line. Brian Worland, spokesperson for the Save Our Trains Action Group, told Green Left that 36 people attended the nd the numbers attending meetings have continued to rise as more people realise what the closure will mean. SOTAG meets every week at the Williamstown Town Hall.
Bernard Reily, the unsuccessful Liberal candidate for the state seat of Sunshine in Melbourne's west, says he may resign from the party because of the transport cuts, job shedding and Kennett's "obsession" with taking on the unions.
Meanwhile it has been admitted by the transport minister Alan Brown's office that train and tram timetables will not return to the pre-Christmas level of service. According to a report in the January 27 Herald-Sun, a timetable was drawn up secretly on January 11.
Though an improvement on the reduced "holiday timetable", the new one still cuts out about 30 trains a day at peak hours — despite repeated assurances from Brown that normal services would resume at the start of the new school year. Commuters are suffering grossly overcrowded trains and consequent delays to services.
While the Victorian Trades Hall Council is considering calling a statewide strike on March 1 against the new industrial relations laws, public transport cuts and other budget cuts, the tramways union is close to reaching agreement with the government on the public transport cuts.
Australian Tramway and Motor Omnibus Employees Association secretary Lou Di Gregorio says that tram conductors may be eliminated, but tram services after 8 p.m. and on weekends could be saved. Other public transport unions have yet to begin discussions with the government.