Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch has slammed the Minns Labor Government for voting down a public interest debate to keep the $250 Regional Seniors Travel Card despite more than 22,000 people signing a petition to save the vital cost of living measure.
Together with the NSW Nationals, Mr Crouch spoke in support the Regional Seniors Travel Card and repeated his calls for the Minns Labor Government to commit to the future of the card.
“The Minns Labor Government has made it clear that in voting down a public interest debate on the Regional Seniors Travel Card that they have no interest in supporting the Central Coast seniors and regional NSW seniors.”
“This is despite the massive success of the travel card on the Central Coast, which had the largest uptake in the entire state.”
“41,000 seniors on the Central Coast received the Regional Seniors Travel Card, ensuring they maintained their independence and freedom of movement in these economically challenging times.”
Mr Crouch said the four Central Coast Labor MPs needed to use their allegedly “strong” voices to call on the Premier and Treasurer to ensure funding is on the table for the future of the card and support the 41,000 seniors who benefit from the program.
“To date, there has been absolute silence when it comes to supporting the re-instatement of the Regional Seniors Travel Card from David Harris, David Mehan, Liesl Tesch and Yasmin Catley.”
“Under the cover of darkness, they suspended this card thereby denying the chance for thousands on the Central Coast to apply for the card, and what’s worse is the way they voted against supporting this card in Parliament.”
As part of the former Liberal-National Government’s 2022-2023 NSW Budget, Central Coast seniors received a record $11.5 million cost-of-living support through the Regional Seniors Travel Card with nearly 1.3 million cards being issued state-wide since 2020.