Leader of The Nationals WA Shane Love MLA says the Cook Labor Government has shamelessly broken its election commitment by increasing the cost of Regional Airfare Zone Caps, doing exactly what they falsely accused the Nationals of planning to do.
“Labor spent the election campaign claiming The Nationals would scrap the airfare zone cap, yet they are the ones who have broken their promise to regional WA by hiking fares,” Mr Love said.
“Labor has finally confirmed the scheme will continue, but only by slugging regional families with higher fares at a time they can least afford it.”
“With fares rising by up to $172, regional households will face substantial increases in school-holiday and public-holiday travel costs, the very times families most need to stay connected,” Mr Love said.
“An Albany or Gascoyne family of four will pay more than $2,000 extra each year, Pilbara and Kimberley families will incur almost $3000 in additional annual airfare costs from only four return trips to Perth.”
Mr Love said the Government had been exposed after The Nationals revealed seven months ago that the zone airfare cap scheme had no funding allocated in the State Budget, despite Labor’s repeated assurances.
“Labor tried to quietly walk away from the scheme, but after months of pressure from regional communities and The Nationals, they’ve been forced to begrudgingly keep it alive and they’ve hiked prices in the process,”
Mr Love said the decision showed exactly where Labor’s priorities lie.
“Rita Saffioti can find $217 million for a new racetrack at Burswood that nobody asked for, but she pinches pennies when it comes to regional Western Australians who rely on capped airfares for health appointments, education, business and staying connected with family.” Mr Love said.