Mar 22, 2012

On the Bus with Bligh

Day 33. I finally managed to launch a sneak attack on Anna Bligh after an intake of extra passengers on the Bligh Bus saw her plonk down in the seat beside me.

Sadly the interview got cut off by the appearance of a certain former Labor Prime Minister (what a bum), but it might be of interest to some of you.


As I post this, we've passed the 30-seat mark on the 50-Seats-In-Five-Days Last-Ditch Bligh Blitz Challenge. Today's trip is supposed to go through until 2am Friday. I'm still trying to weigh up whether I have the stamina, or at least enough Pepsi Max, to go all the way...

8 comments:

  1. aww. I got a little excited when I thought you two were actually on a rollercoaster.

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  3. What I would like to know, is why if I am coming from Toowong to the Southbank, a TWO STOP TRIP, and I pay $5.20! I am sorry, but that is not an incentive.

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  4. I think the in-flexible highly priced fare-structure is what annoys people. It's understandable to have increases in Pub Transport to support more infrastructure & more frequent services, but translink need to be more flexible & develop different types of fare structures for different types of commuters. If they had the top up & go system & a weekly / monthly or quarterly fare price based on zone travel - i.e pay $50 a week for unlimited zone 1-2 travel, Pub transport users would be less testy. Also do what they do in London and give all full-time students under 18yrs free pub transport. this then gets them into the habbit of using pub transport everyday and then they would be more compelled to use it later on in life. Plus it would save parents a bucket load of money!

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  5. Hi Nat, thanks for the insight. I covered the Ryan by-election back in the day, as well as some council and state ones. That was less than 10 years ago before my career change. I'm fascinated by how much technology has changed the daily life of a journo, both for the good and the bad. The good, of course, is that proven here with this candid insight posted swiftly and with no editing. The bad, as Anna pointed out, is that the cycle never stops for you guys. I miss my trade at moments like these (this election is a story gold mine), but I do not envy the extra pressure you guys are now under.

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  6. Stood up for Bob Hawke.

    I was more interested in the fact the bus had seat belts.

    What must be annoying for you and the premier is that 5 min of public transport talk was better communication than the last 3 years, but broadcast on a micro-channel (sorry just the way it is). So no matter how important the subject and how good the interview it just doesn't have reach*

    PS: my public transport is good - 5 zones $5.43 one-way, leave home at 8am, bus arrives about 8.10, at work at my desk at 8.45am. Express bus :) And buses to the city from 6.30am even on Sunday/PH's - earlier during the week,

    *A good thing for impromptu Africa performances in piano bars

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