Keira MP Ryan Park has stopped short of pledging a Labor government would reverse the decision to introduce fares on the Gong Shuttle.
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However he said he planned to take the issue to leader Luke Foley and the shadow cabinet on Monday afternoon.
“I’ve made it very clear that if I’m treasurer of a future Labor government and Paul Scully is the member for Wollongong I intend for that shuttle to remain free,” Mr Park said.
“We’re having those discussions now with the leader and the shadow minister for transport but let me make this very clear, we are not going to be seeing a situation under a Labor government where people have to be using their Opal card for this service.”
Mr Scully said their focus at the moment was on stopping the government’s plans.
“The government did not have to make this decision,” Mr Scully said.
“Our priority is getting that decision stopped before people have to tap their Opal cards on the shuttle.”
On Monday morning, the two MPs talked to Transport for NSW workers at the government’s Future Transport 2056 information van in Wollongong Mall.
The purpose of the van is to seek public feedback on the government’s Future Transport plans.
Mr Park and Mr Scully handed over a folder of recent news articles about the Gong Shuttle decision, including those that covered Sunday’s public rally.
“We wanted to make sure [Sunday’s] deep, deep anger at the prospect of full Opal card charges being introduced on the free Gong Shuttle was reflected and that message was heard,” Mr Scully said.
Mr Park said the Gong Shuttle needed to be a part of the future transport plans for the region.
“What we certainly need to see is the Gong Shuttle stay and, if anything, the Gong Shuttle expand,” Mr Park said.
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
