Dealing with the Opal card system has been a “nightmare” for Wollongong Homeless Hub, according to manager Julie Mitchell.
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Ms Mitchell’s main issue is the removal of the Pensioner Excursion Ticket, which was axed on January 1.
Those who bought that ticket – which included a high proportion of the hub’s clientele – now need to get a Gold Opal card.
Pensioners need to apply for the Gold card and then have it sent to them.
This, Ms Mitchell said, is an obvious problem for homeless people who have no address.
Also, Ms Mitchell said the hub was unable to bulk-buy Gold Opal cards and hand them out to clients, who used them to get to job interviews, find accommodation or medical appointments.
“We have people who are on Newstart or who are on a disability support pension,” Ms Mitchell said.
“They’re coming in and we can’t assist them any more and give them $2.50 for a day ticket because they have to go through the process of getting an Opal card.”
This has created more work for the staff at the hub, who check each client has an Opal card and guide them through the process.
Ms Mitchell said she had raised her concerns with Transport for NSW (TfNSW).
“I would like to see that community agencies were able to bulk bill for people who are on disability support pensions, on Newstart, or have travel concessions so we can distribute them to these people,” she said.
A TfNSW spokesman said details of Gold Opal customers were collected so only those eligible received it.
He said it had been consulting with charities, including the Wollongong Homeless Hub, about the impact of the transition to Opal.
“We want to ensure that vulnerable people are able to continue using public transport as easily as possible and that charities can continue to assist them,” he said.
He said the feedback was being considered and guidelines will soon be provided to charities outlining the clients’ options available under Opal.