AUSTRALIAN STATES ANNOUNCE FREE PUBLIC TRANSPORT AMID RISING FUEL PRICES

MELBOURNE, March 29 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- The governments of the Australian states of Victoria and Tasmania on Sunday announced free public transport initiatives in response to rising fuel prices, reported Xinhua.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said the state government would make all public transport services free for a month from Tuesday.

She said in a joint statement with Gabrielle Williams, Victoria's minister for Public and Active Transport, that the measure would make it more affordable for people to choose public transport amid a spike in fuel prices driven by the West Asia conflict and oil crisis.

"I'm determined to do everything within my control to help Victorians deal with rising fuel prices," Allan said.

According to the Australian Institute of Petroleum (AIP), the national average price for regular unleaded fuel hit a record-high of A$2.38 (US$1.60) per litre in the week ending March 22, marking an increase of 27 per cent since the outbreak of the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

Public transport fares in Victoria are currently capped at A$11.4 (US$7.8) per day.

The government said that making all services free for a month would cost an estimated A$70 million (US$48.1 million).

In a separate announcement, Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff said that all bus and ferry services in the island state will be made free from Monday until the start of July.

He said there has been a 20-per cent increase in public transport use across the state over the last week and that the initiative would deliver real cost-of-living savings.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday announced that the federal government will underwrite the purchase of essential products affected by the conflict in West Asia under new fuel security measures.

Albanese will on Monday meet with state and territory leaders to discuss further measures to prevent fuel shortages.  

-- BERNAMA-XINHUA