Ms BURNET – I don’t know if your question was answered at all there.
Minister, given that about 3 to 6 per cent of Tasmanians are using public transport and a 49 per cent increase is needed for emissions reductions, will you extend the half‑price fares program indefinitely to encourage Tasmanians to make the switch? Are you intending for that to be permanently in place?
Mr ABETZ – What we have said is that it was a cost-of-living measure, and we will have a look at all the information that is to be gleaned from that period of 12 to 13 months and see what the uptake has been, and we will inform ourselves as to if there’s anything to be learned from that and how we can tweak or make adjustments to our public transport system from that. But we aren’t going to make any announcements prior to us knowing what the information is.
Ms BURNET – Just in relation to the electric bus trial, electrification of buses has been around and used in other jurisdictions for quite some time. Can you just explain to me why there needs to be a trial of this form of vehicle as opposed to just introducing them across the fleet?
Mr ABETZ – If I recall correctly, and somebody at the table may well correct me, but I understand that the initial buses needed to be retrofitted because they did not comply with disability standards. So, that is why with these things – it is often good to ensure that you don’t buy a job lot in the hope that everything’s going to be okay, but you test and see, and I understand those adjustments have now been made. But, once again, if you want details of that, I would encourage you to go to the GBE hearings, scrutiny hearings, of Metro.
Ms BURNET – In relation to the ferries, is there any way that you can electrify those from the start?
Mr ABETZ – Talk to Bob Clifford, I’m sure he’s got –
Ms BURNET – You’re the minister.
Mr ABETZ – something in mind that. Look, that is not something that I have personally looked at, but more than willing to take advice on whether there are other modes of powering our ferries.
Ms BURNET – For short distances?
