Postgrads and international students take to streets on concession fares

Rallies are being held in Sydney and Melbourne this week to demand equity when it comes to public transport.  “International and postgraduate students are joining together in New South Wales and Victoria to tell their State Government they have had enough of the ridiculous inequities that persist when it comes to access to concession travel on public transport” CAPA President, Nigel Palmer said.

New South Wales and Victoria are the only Australian states to deny international students concession fares on public transport.  Victoria has the nations worst transport options for students, in also preventing postgraduate students from travelling on concession fares.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young will be among the speakers at the Sydney rally.

The demonstrations coincide with the commencement of Senate Committee hearings for the Inquiry into International Student Welfare. 

“Thirty eight of the submissions to the Senate Inquiry raised the issue of concession travel on public transport for international students.  None of these said discriminating against international students was a good idea” CAPA President, Nigel Palmer said.

“In New South Wales and Victoria, many international students feel being denied concession travel on public transport is the biggest form of discrimination they face.  We are told we are different from domestic students twice a day, every day: once when we get on public transport in the morning, and again each time we travel home.  If people are looking for ways to improve the international student experience in Australia, clearly this is one of the things that has to change” CAPA International Officer Anwar Shah concluded.

National rankings for student concession entitlements are available via the links below.

Selected comments and recommendations made on transport concessions in submissions to the Senate Inquiry into International Student Welfare are included below.

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Media contacts:
CAPA President Nigel Palmer – 0425 823 144 or  president@capa.edu.au

CAPA International Officer Anwar Shah - 0421 781 506 or anwar.s@capa.edu.au

CAPA International Officer Sally Dongping Huang – 0434 627 127 or sally.dh@capa.edu.au