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The Forum > General Discussion > NSW Government subsidizing asylum seekers public transport

NSW Government subsidizing asylum seekers public transport

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Taxpayers shell out $4million for asylum seekers to receive discounts on public transport.

Taxpayers are shelling out more than $4million so asylum seekers can receive discounts on public transport.

The New South Wales state government has slashed the transport prices for political refugees who have come to Australia by giving them the same Opal card designed for seniors.

Asylum seekers entitled to the card are able to ride trains all over Sydney for the set price of $2.50 a day.

They are also able to access the city's ferries and buses at a discounted rate.

The Transport for NSW website says asylum seekers are eligible for the gold senior/pensioner Opal card if they permanently reside in NSW and receive aid from an asylum seeker support agency.

They also need to hold or be applying for a bridging visa as an asylum seeker.

A transport spokeswoman said the scheme, introduced by the Baird government, costs $4million a year, the Daily Telegraph reported.

The latest Department of Home Affairs figures show that more than 6000 'illegal maritime arrivals' currently live in NSW.

Lakemba, in Sydney's south-west, and Wentworthville and Auburn, in the city's west, are home to the most asylum seekers across the state.

One Nation politician Mark Latham said: 'Taxpayers would be thinking why am I working hard, sitting here on my increasingly crowded train trying to get to my job paying full rates and others who don't even have status... get subsidised'.

The director of policy at the Australian Taxpayers Alliance questioned whether something could be done to ensure foreigners arrive in Australia within the law.

'The concern is that it creates incentives not to come here in an orderly legal way through migration,' he said.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6766239/Taxpayers-shell-4million-asylum-seekers-receive-discounts-public-transport.html
Posted by Philip S, Monday, 4 March 2019 2:02:36 AM
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Wow, $2.50 per day, as a regular on Sydney's buses and trains for many years, $2.50 makes a change from the hundreds of thousands of commuters who daily, walk on to Sydney's public transport system and take a free ride.

My eldest son is an STA bus driver, sees so many not bothering to pay. In peak hour it lots in a collier and tie, not just your down and outs. $1 million/day lost revenue. Then there is the regular failures of the Opal system, and then everyone gets a free ride.
Posted by Paul1405, Monday, 4 March 2019 6:31:02 AM
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Australian mismanagement is at work whilst asylum seekers are not !
Posted by individual, Monday, 4 March 2019 7:43:48 AM
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Not surprising. Liberals, state and federal, seem to have come to the conclusion that the money and perks in Opposition are good enough for them not to have to cope with the stress and responsibility of government, and they are not even going to try to get re-elected.

They have put Labor policies into place, not caring that they will lose the traditional voters, and fail to gain replacements. On these so-called asylum seekers aka illegal country-shoppers, they have not even said boo about the Phelps/Labor trashing of border policy a few months out from an election!

I’m not sure where these lazy good for nothing faux refugees will go with their subsidised fares, other than the nearest Centrelink office.
Posted by ttbn, Monday, 4 March 2019 11:29:39 AM
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Paul1405 Like usual you have nothing to say so try to deflect the discussion to transport rorts, run along and start your own thread for that purpose.
Posted by Philip S, Monday, 4 March 2019 5:16:07 PM
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Dear Paul,

Thanks for putting things into a better perspective
for us.
I've come across a link that explains why the NSW
Liberal Government gives asylum seekers travel concessions.
It's worth a read to get a better insight:

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/jun/26/nsw-gives-asylum-seekers-travel-concessions-to-help-the-vulnerable
Posted by Foxy, Monday, 4 March 2019 5:25:30 PM
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Foxy Why are you sucking up to Paul1405, he put nothing into perspective just tried to hijack the thread.

From you link.
"Baird has described asylum seekers as “one of the most vulnerable in our society, often living below the poverty line”"

** BS they get preferential housing, medical plus have government funded support from asylum seeker support agencies. as for living below the poverty line so are millions of Australians. **
________________________________________________

Quote "Non-government community agencies have previously been funding transport for asylum seekers in NSW."

** Why is he giving them something they are already getting. **

Quote "permanently reside in NSW and receive aid from an asylum seeker support agency."

** They must already be getting aid (NOT AVAILABLE TO AUSTRALIAN) he want to give them more. **
Posted by Philip S, Monday, 4 March 2019 6:02:11 PM
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I didn't realise Baird was also a moron !
Posted by individual, Monday, 4 March 2019 9:57:58 PM
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Hi Foxy,

For all the blabbering on from Phil, the net cost to the government for this is zero dollars. The public transport system would still be running at the same cost, with or without the Asylum Seekers.
Posted by Paul1405, Monday, 4 March 2019 10:14:30 PM
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Paul1405,
I have never believed in two wrongs making a right !
Posted by individual, Tuesday, 5 March 2019 8:15:26 AM
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Dear Paul,

Don't worry. I was impressed with what NSW is
doing regarding transport concessions for
asylum seekers. It may help a little.
All this fuss about it however reminds me of
Peter Dutton's faux claim that asylume seekers
will be taking medical help away from Australian
citizens. Dutton's trying to appeal to his
constituents by fear mongering. There is an election
around the corner. Fear mongering is all he's got.
Posted by Foxy, Tuesday, 5 March 2019 8:54:32 PM
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Hi Foxy,

This just shows the vindictiveness of some regarding asylum seekers.

//Taxpayers shell out $4million for asylum seekers to receive discounts on public transport.//

This opening statement is untrue. There is no physical $4million being shelled out. The excess capacity of the public transport system in NSW easily accommodates this at no additional cost. The service remains the same, the cost structure remains the same. Maybe Phil can explain, and show where the $4million is in the scheme of things.

An analogy, we all walk on the footpath, if we allow asylum seekers to also walk on the footpath, does it add to the cost of the footpath, of course not, providing the capacity of the footpath is not being exceeded. The same applies to public transport.
Posted by Paul1405, Wednesday, 6 March 2019 6:59:52 AM
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Paul1405 I hope you did not loose much sleep thinking how to compose your last comment.

Your first comment was at Monday, 4 March 2019 6:31:02 AM
Your second comment was at Monday, 4 March 2019 10:14:30 PM

Finally on Wednesday, 6 March 2019 6:59:52 AM You realize something is amiss in your opinion quote "This just shows the vindictiveness of some regarding asylum seekers.

//Taxpayers shell out $4million for asylum seekers to receive discounts on public transport.//"

** That headline was by the author of the article, here is his name and details you are welcome to contact him and complain. **

Zoe Zaczek at Daily Mail Australia.

** Good luck with that **
Posted by Philip S, Wednesday, 6 March 2019 5:18:00 PM
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Philip S.,

You protest too much, methinks.

Too much time on your hands?
Posted by Foxy, Wednesday, 6 March 2019 5:23:27 PM
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Foxy Please activate brain, and think before applying fingers to keyboard so as not to appear senile.

** I am not complaining, I just replied to your Dear Paul's stupid comment, he is the one complaining. **
Posted by Philip S, Wednesday, 6 March 2019 5:54:02 PM
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Phil, I thought you were the blowfly writing this rabid anti asylum seeker nonsense. After all you can be relied upon to constantly nail the lying rubbish to the wall. Are you saying there really is a gutter publication called the 'UK Daily Mail', I am astounded.
So, you are just some disinterested party who whilst trolling the internet comes across this adulterated filth, and dutifully fells obligated to post it up here!

Now Phil if you don't lay claim to the content then we have to say the title is 100% Phil; "NSW Government subsidising asylum seekers public transport" A fabrication on your part, as I clearly demonstrated there is no "subsidising" of public transport by the NSW government for asylum seekers, your thread title is untrue.

If I should see poor Phil standing at the bus stop in the pouring rain, and in a weak moment I should offer the saturated Phil a lift in my Range Rover to his appointment at Centerlink. I"m not subsidising saturated Phil the $2.50 pension fare he is saving, I am giving him a free ride at no cost to me.

Meaning of Subsidise; support financially. There is no financial cost, so therefore there is no subsidy. Got it Phil?
Posted by Paul1405, Wednesday, 6 March 2019 6:59:31 PM
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Paul1405 Congratulations you have just wasted 15 plus minutes composing and typing the above comment which I am not bothering to read past the first few words "Phil, I thought you were the blowfly".
Posted by Philip S, Wednesday, 6 March 2019 9:40:52 PM
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Hi there Phil,

"Blowfly" is a journalistic term to describe the reporter given the task of buzzing around some bit of filth, generally a non story like this one, and slanting it in such a way that the simpletons are going to read it and believe it.

So the blowfly is actually the dear Zoe Zaczek, not your typical Pulitzer Prizes winner, but a hack (another journalistic term) down at that ever reliable 'Daily Horror'. Me thinks poor Zoe wont be winning any prizes for this bit of journalistic nonsense either.
Posted by Paul1405, Thursday, 7 March 2019 4:33:41 AM
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Paul1405 Taking your last comment into account okay but now it raises some important issues.

Quote "Meaning of Subsidise; support financially. There is no financial cost, so therefore there is no subsidy. Got it Phil?"

** That statement is absolutely false.
1st Most train and buses are guaranteed a certain level of profit by the government, if 6,000 refugees get cheaper travel the overall revenue the operator earns is less. Which means taxpayers have to make up the shortfall.

I don't know if you really are unaware of this or making things up in the hope no one knows the truth. ** Got it Paul1405? **

Further Quote "The excess capacity of the public transport system in NSW easily accommodates this at no additional cost."

** Another stupid statement if trains and buses were not subsidized the services that operate out of peak hours, that usually only carry a few passengers would be discontinued, economics of business 101.

Also
Quote "Blowfly" is a journalistic term to describe the reporter given the task of buzzing around some bit of filth, generally a non story like this one, and slanting it in such a way that the simpletons are going to read it and believe it.

** So by this part "given the task of buzzing around some bit of filth" you think that asylum seekers are filth, because they are the ones being subsidized which is what the articles is about. **
Posted by Philip S, Thursday, 7 March 2019 12:11:14 PM
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Totally ignorant of the facts Phil.

// 1st Most train and buses are guaranteed a certain level of profit by the government,// Public transport is a service not a profit making business.

Nonsense buses are either operated by 'State Transit' or a private contractor, passenger trains are operated by 'State Rail'. STA tender every 5 years, for the operational rights to run government bus services. Although recently for philosophical reasons the Tory government in NSW has promoted private tendering at the expense of the STA. A case in point is the privatising of inner west bus services in Sydney, where the STA (The previous operator) was excluded from the tendering process by the goverernment.

Now hear this one, no revenue goes to the operator, it is all collected by State Treasury, every last cent. Consolidated revenue meets the operational costs of bus, ferry and rail services in NSW. The government also meets the replacement costs of all three. There is no profit in public transport, unless of course you artificially manufacture one for the private operator, which they do. There was a hullabaloo a while back when it was discovered a private operator was running a $1,000/trip service in Western Sydney several times a day without any passengers. Well that was the contract he had with the Government. he had to run the service to get paid, the number of passengers did not matter.

The service is run with a holistic approach, where it is the overall service that has to be provided, not the individual runs or journeys that are of account. There is no account of how many passengers travel on any particular train. The only known figure is the approximate number on a particular line, at particular times, which is the number of paying passenger plus a gustimate of the number on non-payers.
Posted by Paul1405, Thursday, 7 March 2019 2:08:51 PM
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Phil can you show how Treasury falked out an extra $4million because 6,000 extra passengers were let onto public transport system, I would say you can't. Revenue remained the same, operational costs remain the same, where is the extra $4million being put in?
Posted by Paul1405, Thursday, 7 March 2019 2:16:11 PM
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Paul1405.
So if it is not subsidized why this. One of these project could be given $4 million less if the asylum seekers paid what others paid.

NSW Budget pledges $20 billion for roads and rail.
"Sydney Metro rail project: $6.2 billion over four years to progress the 30km metro line from Chatswood to the CBD and Bankstown. There will also be $5.8 billion for the northwest line

Other rail projects: $64 million in 2016-17 to continue planning for the Parramatta Light Rail system. More than $1 billion over four years for the suburban rail network and $518.4 million for the new trains"

The above figures show how heavily the subsidy to rail transport

Quote "show how Treasury falked out an extra $4million because 6,000 extra passengers were let onto public transport system, I would say you can't. Revenue remained the same, operational costs remain the same, where is the extra $4million being put in?"

** Paul please try to get your head around this simple analyses.

If those 6,000 asylum seekers were not receiving the subsidized transport which is estimated at $4 million, Railcorps financial statement would be + $4 million thus needing that amount not having to be given to them from the taxpayers.
_____________________________________________

I wrote "1st Most train and buses are guaranteed a certain level of profit by the government"

You wrote "Public transport is a service not a profit making business."

** Not all public transport is run by Government some are run by private businesses. **

Also.
** If it is fake why has the article including the figures been picked up by.
http://railpage.com.au/news/s/taxpayers-shell-out-4-million-for-asylum-seekers-to-receive-discounts-on-public-transpor
Posted by Philip S, Thursday, 7 March 2019 5:54:11 PM
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Corrected link
http://railpage.com.au/news/s/taxpayers-shell-out-4-million-for-asylum-seekers-to-receive-discounts-on-public-transport
Posted by Philip S, Thursday, 7 March 2019 5:58:03 PM
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Phil, given your rabid hatred of asylum seekers, you obviously don't want to see them to be given anything. No free ride on the bus, they can walk as far as you are concerned, while you drive by in your fancy automobile. Just as you had no choice to be born into a well off society, these people had no choice as to the situation they came into.
Well, you keep your hatred burning, I'll just stick with what I believe in.
Posted by Paul1405, Friday, 8 March 2019 5:54:32 AM
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Paul1405 - At least you have dropped your ridiculous concept that if 6,000 people are gives a subsidy of approx $666 per year or $4 million dollars it does not cost taxpayers anything.

So now you work on the deluded thinking.
Quote "well off society" We live in.

This tends to negate that point.
Australia Debt Clock A$622,475,386 ** increasing at the rate of $630 every second **

http://commodity.com/debt-clock/australia/

Sudan - In 2016 Sudan public debt was 52,680 million dollars.
Gee they owe less than we do.

Quote "these people had no choice as to the situation they came into."
True statement BUT absolutely ludicrous because you are implying we owe them a better life.
So by your logic every person who gets more than another person should give money etc to them.
If even 1% of the people in the world claiming to want a better life came here this country would be absolutely stuffed.
Posted by Philip S, Friday, 8 March 2019 5:20:55 PM
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Paul 1405 To quote something you said "I don't expect a reply, you will slink off for a while, then return."

Looks like you are doing that on here.

You just can't seem to get anything right.
Posted by Philip S, Sunday, 10 March 2019 1:52:46 AM
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Phil, like your oft quoted scandal sheet the Uk 'Daily Horror' you can't differentiate between a subsidy and a concession.
Not only is the scandal sheet responsible for a lie, you are also by the misleading title of your thread, which is 100% Phil.

Your claim that Asylum Seekers are some how on average, given $666 of NSW taxpayer money is untrue. You can't show that if not give a concession on public transport, that asylum seekers would pay an additional $666 on average to use the service. Some may not use the service at all. You don't know.

Tell us Phil, how many of the 6,000 use their concession card, and how often. That is the basis of your $4million claim. Please supply those figures.
Posted by Paul1405, Sunday, 10 March 2019 7:51:09 AM
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Paul1405 Get it through your head if they pay the full price less money has to be allocated for services and maintenance from taxpayer revenue.

It does not matter if you want to call it subsidizing or a concession that is irrelevant as it costs taxpayers, a benefit a lot of other Australians do not get.
Posted by Philip S, Sunday, 10 March 2019 9:26:25 PM
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Well Phil, an easy one for you. How many of the 6,000? asylum seekers have ever used the 'concession card' given to them, how often, how much have they spent on public transport? You're got all this pegged so it should be an easy one for you, as all concession cards are registered and can be easily monitored. Please provide evidence, not just a figure you pluck out of the air. If need be you can make one of those freedom of information requests you were previously sprooking about here.
I await you reply with baited breath.

BTW, the 6,000 figure seems rather odd, to round and approximate for my liking, was there precisely 6,000, or was it say 6031, or 5978. can you give me the exact number? Again it should be easy for one with your talents to find, its all recorded.
Posted by Paul1405, Sunday, 10 March 2019 10:20:53 PM
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Paul1405 Quote "an easy one for you. How many of the 6,000? asylum seekers have ever used the 'concession card' given to them, how often, how much have they spent on public transport?"

** Your stupidity in asking those questions defies logic, so you say "an easy one" all right you give us the figures, after all you imply they are easy to get. **

Thank you for showing everyone how much of a troll you are by asking those questions, the only way to prove you have an ounce of intelligence is for you to provide the figures.
Posted by Philip S, Sunday, 10 March 2019 11:27:04 PM
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Phil, expecting me to supply evidence to support your argument, I don't think so, you supply your own evidence.
In the time frame in question, I have travelled extensively on NSW public transport, particularly in Sydney, trains, buses and some ferries. In that time I can honestly say of the tens of thousands of passengers I have observed, none appeared to me, nor could I identify any, as being asylum seekers. If that is helpful in your quest to find the number, the answer could well be zero!
I'll give you plenty of time to find the exact number, I will start counting down from 6,000....5,999,...5,998....5,997....yarn.....5,996. zzzzzzzzz
Posted by Paul1405, Monday, 11 March 2019 5:42:41 AM
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Paul1405 Your stupidity shows no bounds quote "I have travelled extensively on NSW public transport, particularly in Sydney, trains, buses and some ferries. In that time I can honestly say of the tens of thousands of passengers I have observed, none appeared to me, nor could I identify any, as being asylum seekers."

** That is like asking a customs officer what does a drug mule look like, it could be absolutely anyone. As drugs have been hidden on babies to having 90+ YO people and pregnant women carrying them. **

With this part you just prove any discussion with you is futile "I can honestly say of the tens of thousands of passengers I have observed, none appeared to me, nor could I identify any, as being asylum seekers."
Posted by Philip S, Monday, 11 March 2019 11:28:07 AM
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Like usual Paul1405 has no reply, when the fire is too hot leave the area.
Posted by Philip S, Saturday, 16 March 2019 8:04:31 PM
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