My-Multi Tickets - One Year On....Mount Druitt Job Seekers Maybe Discriminated On My-Multi and Rail Weekly Tickets!

Mount Druitt has been known for a very long time for its high rate of unemployment , which is normally above the national average. I would like to be alive one day when we (Mount Druitt)

Figures obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006:

LABOUR FORCE (Population aged 15 years and over)	Selected Region	% of persons in the labour force in Region	Australia	% of persons in the labour force in Australia
Total labour force (includes employed and unemployed persons)	21,214	-	9,607,987	-
Employed full-time	12,429	58.6%	5,827,432	60.7%
Employed part-time	4,641	21.9%	2,685,193	27.9%
Employed away from work	611	2.9%	337,991	3.5%
Employed hours not stated	973	4.6%	253,567	2.6%
Unemployed	2,560	12.1%	503,804	5.2%
Not in the labour force	16,493	-	5,271,116	-
During the week prior to the 2006 Census, 21,214 people aged 15 years and over who were usually resident in 2770 (Postal Area) were in the labor force. Of these, 58.6% were employed full-time, 21.9% were employed part-time, 2.9% were employed but away from work, 4.6% were employed but did not state their hours worked and 12.1% were unemployed. There were 16,493 usual residents aged 15 years and over not in the labour force.

Job Seekers have their income reduced when they receive new start allowance, as per information supplied from the Australian Government of Human Services, Centrelink:
Payment amounts

If you are	Maximum fortnightly payment
single, no children	$474.90
single, with a dependent child or children	$513.80
single, aged 60 or over, after 9 continuous months on payment	$513.80
partnered (each)	$428.70
single principal carer granted exemption for foster caring/relative (non-parent) caring under a court order/home schooling/distance education/large family	$625.90

So you have to understand that i f you come to a situation where you as an individual were suddenly a job-seeker (as it sometimes happens) unfortunately, then we  all have to respect job-seekers in their travelling costs daily, weekly and understand what they are going through. Here are the deatils from Transport New South Wales

Travel Concessions for Jobseekers 

(Less Ticks than crosses)

Who is eligible?

Half fare jobseeker concessions are available to unemployed persons residing in NSW when in receipt of one of the following Commonwealth benefits at the maximum rate:

• Unemployment Benefits where the beneficiary must be registered as looking for work:
  • Youth Allowance (jobseeking)
  • Newstart Allowance
  • Parenting (Partnered)
  • Partner Allowance
  • Widow Allowance
  • Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payment; or
• Other temporary benefits/programs:
  • Sickness Allowance
  • Special Benefit
  • Newstart Allowance Incapacitated
  • Community Support Program; or
  • Job Placement, Employment and Training scheme.

What concession fares can be obtained?

Half fare concessions on single and return fares and MyBus TravelTens on all regulated services, except premium, tourist, charter and special events services.

Concession fares under MyZone from 18 April 2010

Under the NSW Government's new MyZone fare structure, which operates in the greater Sydney area, concession entitlements remain the same or similar to previous arrangements, although some ticket products or prices may have changed. Entitlements and ticket products will remain the same on services not covered by the MyZone structure, such as private ferries, monorail and CountryLink services.

For more information, see www.myzone.nsw.gov.au.

Entitlements at a glance

Mode	Operator	Area	Product / Entitlement
Rail	CityRail	Suburban and Intercity Network	Single/Return, between stations/locations shown on card
			Off Peak Return
			AirportLink Station Access Fee
			MyTrain RailPasses (7 and 14 Day)
			MyTrain RailPasses (Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly)
			MyMulti (Day Pass and Weekly)
			MyMulti (Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly)
			Pensioner Excursion Ticket
	CountryLink	All NSW Routes	Single/Return
			CountryLink Pensioner Excursion
	Great Southern Rail	Sydney - Broken Hill	Single/Return
Bus	Government	Metropolitan Sydney	MyBus Single
			MyBus TravelTen
			MyMulti (Day and Weekly)
			MyMulti (Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly)
			Pensioner Excursion Ticket
		Newcastle Buses (including Newcastle Ferries)	Time tickets
			TimeTen
			MyMulti (Day Pass and Weekly)
			MyMulti (Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly)
			TravelPasses
			Pensioner Excursion Ticket
	Privately operated	Metropolitan Sydney and Outer Metropolitan areas	MyBus Single
			MyBus TravelTen
			MyMulti (Day and Weekly)
			MyMulti (Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly)
			Pensioner Excursion Ticket
		Rural / Regional (1)	Single/Return
			Regional Excursion Daily
Ferry	Government	Metropolitan Sydney	MyFerry single/return
			MyFerry TravelTen
			MyMulti (Day Pass and Weekly)
			MyMulti (Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly)
			Pensioner Excursion Ticket
	Fast Ferries to Manly (2)	Circular Quay and Manly	Single
	Other private ferries (3)	Metropolitan Sydney	Single
			Pensioner Excursion Ticket
Light rail	Metro	Metropolitan Sydney	Single
			MyMulti (Day Pass and Weekly)
			MyMulti (Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly)
Monorail (2)		Metropolitan Sydney	Single

Notes:

 - A tick indicates that concession rates are available for this product.

 - A cross indicates that this product is not available to this category of beneficiary at the concession rate.

General - Concession entitlements are not available on special or premium services, charter services, special event services or tourism services.

1. Not covered under MyZone, with a few exceptions (see www.myzone.nsw.gov.au). Private bus operators may offer other ticket products at discounted or concession rates. Check with the operator before travelling.
2. The fast ferry services between Manly and Circular Quay, light rail and Monorail services are privately owned and operated services. Any concession benefits or discounted tickets are provided by the operators of these services at their discretion. Check with the operator before travelling.
3. Most contracted private ferry services recognise the standard concession entitlements but may have different arrangements, based on their existing contractual obligations. Check with the operator before travelling. Private ferry operators may also offer other ticket products at discounted or concession rates. For more information, contact the operator.

How do jobseekers prove they are entitled to concession fares?

Jobseekers must have a valid NSW Half Fare Entitlement Card for jobseekers concession card. They must show their concession card when purchasing concession fares and carry it at all times when travelling using a concession ticket. Jobseekers must produce their card when requested to do so by a Transport Officer to verify entitlement to concession fares.

What does the jobseeker card look like?

Click on the image to view a sample of the NSW Half Fare Entitlement Card for jobseekers - PNG image file.

Unlike student cards, the jobseeker card does not require a transport concession image or foil sticker to be placed on it, but must have the jobseeker's details inserted by Centrelink, along with the expiry date. The card must show the Centrelink date stamp and be signed by the issuing officer, as well as by the jobseeker

How to obtain a jobseeker concession card/replacement card?

The NSW Half Fare Entitlement Card for jobseekers is issued by Centrelink on behalf of Transport NSW.

Applications are made in person to a Centrelink Office where the Customer Service Office will do a computer check of the applicant's eligibility and either:

• Issue a card immediately to an eligible applicants; or
• Provide ineligible applicants with a letter, which gives the reason why the applicant was assessed as ineligible. Further questions surrounding an applicant’s circumstances and reasons for ineligibilty should be addressed to Centrelink.

One replacement card may be issued during the three-month period of the card's validity. Applications for replacement cards are also made in person to Centrelink.

For more information regarding jobseeker benefits and contact details for Centrelink offices, please visit Centrelink's website, www.centrelink.gov.au.

How long can a jobseeker card be used?

The jobseeker card is valid for 3 months. On expiry, card holders will need to re-apply at a Centrelink office and be re-assessed for ongoing eligibility.

Do any fees apply?

No fees apply for the issue of a card or a replacement card.

The introduction of My Multi Tickets was warmly welcomed by the Sydney and Greater Western Sydney Commuters excepted for one issue we picked up earlier in the piece:

Click here on this story:
http://mountdruittcommuters.blogspot.com/2010/12/myzone-tickets-not-what-they-are.html

Now we have job-seekers who may be discriminated against with  public transport fares for daily and weekly My Multi tickets. If these fares are not reduced then it creates such financial constraints for the job-seeker  who may need to travel through 3 zones in Sydney to reach their interview, yet they have to pay the employed full fare of $57.00 weekly to cover 3 travelling zones, in case jobs seeked have to be travelled into from zone 3 to zone 1 using any or all forms of public transport.less give these job seekers a chance  to use fares properly discounted based on their situation thus enhancing their chance of future employed and promoting a better public transport system.