Pōneke Collective continues fight for free public transport

The Pōneke Collective took its fight for transport equity directly to the Greater Wellington Regional Council earlier this month. The coalition includes MAWSA and other Wellington organisations who are aiming for more equitable access to public transport in Wellington. 

The Collective attended the Council’s Transport Committee meeting on August 5 to make their case for a pilot of free public transport for Community Service Card holders and students in the Wellington region. 

MAWSA President Tessa Guest said her and two fellow MAWSA executives, Khushboo and Elizabeth, attended the meeting as part of the Pōneke Collective to speak about the effects free public transport would have for Wellington students, accompanied by a video created by Elizabeth. 

“We also showed a video with interviews of Community Service Card holders speaking to the effects it would have on their lives, who are the other target group in the campaign,” she said. 

She said months of mahi has led to the Collective making an impact now. 

“The Council has seen us, and they found our presentation to be powerful. We are hopeful that they will vote to support our ask in theory. The next steps are for us to have a similar kōrero with the Minister of Transport, because they’ll be the ones to give this the green light or not.” 

According to Greater Wellington Chair Daran Ponter, the Council has recently been trying to get the Government to extend a planned trial run in Auckland of half price public transport fares for Community Service Card holders to Wellington. 

“We jumped on this opportunity to ask the Government to build quickly on its Auckland experience and work with us to instigate a similar trial here in Wellington,” Ponter said. 

He said the Council is also in the process of starting a review of Metlink fares, part of which will investigate how to lessen the financial hurdles of public transport usage for vulnerable members of the community.