The Hon. Aileen MacDonald MLC, has today renewed calls for the NSW Labor Government to immediately reinstate the 3- and 6-month NSW TrainLink Discovery Passes, describing the removal as a “quiet cut” that disproportionately hurts regional communities.
Speaking in the Legislative Council last week, Ms MacDonald moved a motion highlighting the significant impact of the change on regional students, seniors, and families, and condemned the lack of public consultation or explanation.
“These passes weren’t a luxury,” Ms MacDonald said “They were essential, used by students to get home from university, by older residents staying socially connected, and by working people accessing health care and services in regional hubs.
To remove them without warning and call it a ‘pause’ is a cost-of-living hike by stealth.”
The six-month Discovery Pass, previously available for $420, offered unlimited travel across NSW TrainLink’s regional train and coach network. It has now been scrapped, leaving only more expensive 14-day and 30-day options, effectively doubling the monthly cost for many users.
While the Government claims the change only affects tourist users, Ms MacDonald challenged that characterisation.
“You can call it a tourist product, but real people, regional people used this pass to live their lives affordably and and now they’re left without answers.
Meanwhile, metro passengers can tap on and off with regular options, while regional travellers are told to ‘just buy six 30-day passes in a row’. Regional people shouldn’t have to beg for services that are taken for granted in the city.”
In debate, Government members confirmed that no consultation or impact modelling was undertaken before removing the passes. Ms MacDonald called for transparency and fairness in future decisions.
“If the Government is serious about regional equity, it will reinstate the Discovery Pass, fix the broken booking system, and guarantee no further cuts to services.”
