10 Mar 2009

Labour wants clarity over SuperGold cards

11:28 am on 10 March 2009

Labour says the Government needs to be clear about whether holders of SuperGold cards will continue to get "free" public transport at off-peak times.

Public transport operators received $5.5 million dollars from the Goverment for the four months to the end of January for carrying 2.5 million pensioners during that period.

Usage is growing by $100,000 per month, exceeding budget expectations.

An allocation of $18 million per year over the next four years was made in the 2008 Budget.

The Minister of Transport says he will look at the figures on a monthly basis.

But Labour's transport spokesperson, Darren Hughes, says the minister appears to be putting a question mark over the GoldCard's future by doing so.