Townsville City Council ends transport subsidy for Magnetic Island Pensioners

Townsville’s acting mayor has conceded that a letter sent out to islanders could have been less harshly written, but the council won’t back down from ending a travel subsidy for pensioners.

Acting Mayor Ann-Maree Greaney at The Rockpool on The Strand. Picture: Supplied

Townsville’s acting mayor has conceded that a dose of bad news for pensioners on Magnetic Island could have been better handled, but insists the decision to cut travel subsidies for the ageing population is the right one.

Pensioners living on Magnetic Island received a letter from the Council informing them of the decision to end the subsidy on June 30.

All ferry transfer vouchers which have already been issued by council will remain valid until the expiry date stated on the voucher.

Acting Mayor Ann-Maree Greaney said council discovered during budget discussions, the bus service and the ferry services are subsidised by the state government.

“Probably for want of a better term, it’s a bit of double dipping and certainly I’m not accusing pensioners of double dipping at all,” she said.

“With the state government introducing 50 cent bus fares, the island residents do get a subsidy on their ferry tickets.

“So we decided that we would end Council’s subsidy because it is a state government responsibility and the state government are delivering on that.”

Cr Greaney noted the letter that was sent to pensioners on Magnetic Island did come across as harsh and didn’t explain the Council’s situation as well as it could have.

Acting Mayor Ann-Maree Greaney believes the letter sent to Magnetic Island Pensioners about the transport subsidy was worded harshly. Picture: Supplied

“I, as divisional councillor and the Acting Mayor, am going to make amends and be speaking and putting out some information to the residents on the island,” she said.

“Just with some background information on this is why we took that decision that we did.”

Cr Greaney said she was a little bit frustrated with how harshly the letter was worded.

“I’ve been a divisional councillor for Magnetic Island now for, this is my third term, I’m probably quite protective of the people over there, particularly the pensioners,” Cr Greaney said.

“I know a lot of them, and you know sometimes I feel that we need to realise that we’re dealing with people, we are customer orientated, so we could have handled that better.”

After speaking with the Council CEO Joe McCabe, moving forward Cr Greaney said that letters that will be sent out will be looked over by her first.

“I have requested that of the CEO, sometimes I think that as an organisation we are very busy and we just send out letters without thinking,” she said.

“I always take the view, if that would be a letter I would write my mother - and no it’s not.”

About 300 Magnetic Island pensioners used this subsidy, which provided them with 24 vouchers worth $2.50 each to use during a 12-month period. Remaining vouchers will continue to be accepted until their expiry.

Concession fares are still available to pensioners travelling on Sealink’s Magnetic Island ferry services, with 50 per cent off fares for anyone holding a Pensioner Concession Card, Seniors Card, DVA/Veteran Card, Regional Concession Card or ImmiCard. With a concession fare, passengers can travel for $11 one way or $21 return on Sealink’s Magnetic Island Ferry.

All Translink bus fares, including on Magnetic Island, are currently 50c per journey, as per the Department of Transport and Main Roads, and as such Council did not see the need to further subsidise these 50c fares.

Originally published as Townsville City Council ends transport subsidy for Magnetic Island Pensioners