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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-03-26 Daily Xml
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TRANSPORT ASSISTANCE

Mrs PENFOLD (Flinders) (15:07): Will the Minister for Transport advise whether he will consider extending free access to public transport to disabled people? For months, a young autistic man has been trying to obtain free access to a government-funded bus to enable him to attend the Moving On program. The bus goes directly past his farm gate twice daily, yet government bureaucracy does not allow him to get on board.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON (Elder—Minister for Transport, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Energy) (15:08): I am not certain that this is really a matter for me, but I do not think that the appropriate minister is here in any event.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: She is trying to help me. Goodness me! Can I assure the house that the day I need Vickie Chapman's help, I will voluntarily retire. The day I need any help from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, I will voluntarily retire. In fact, the idea of being helped by Vickie does make one shudder.

As was explained by the Premier and I, the initiative is one addressed to those who have suffered or who are most likely to suffer earliest from the effects of the global financial crisis for the reasons we outlined earlier. The elderly and particularly self-funded retirees are those who will first see their earnings diminish from lower interest rates and, of course, the failure of many investments, and we thought it was appropriate in those circumstances.

So, it is an initiative addressed fairly and squarely at the elderly. The government runs a number of other programs for the disabled and others in need, and I will refer this interest to the relevant minister. However, this is a government that has been compassionate across the board, and I am sure that it will continue to be so.

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