OPAL TRANSPORT CARD

What does it all mean?

Part 1

Some three years ago, 7th December 2012 to be exact, the New South Wales Transport Minister, Gladys Berejiklian, traveled by ferry from Circular Quay to Neutral Bay using the Opal plastic Card. The journey was uneventful and the card worked, ie, the turnstile opened and allowed the Minister to enter and exit. Back in Sydney Minister Berejiklian said:
“I was delighted to join customers on day one of this exciting trial. Opal will transform the way people travel in NSW and mean an end to ticket queues and fumbling for coins.”
Some three years later, 1 January 2016 to be exact, paper tickets are no longer available and anyone wishing to use public transport in NSW even for one journey, will need to complete Opal card form and wait to get his or her Opal plastic card. The face to face human interaction involved in purchasing a train, or a bus ticket is gone. What does all of that mean, if anything?

Firstly, loss of jobs for ticket sellers on railway stations and to printing companies who print tickets used in railway stations and buses. Secondly, I wonder if the NSW State Government told the public the full story as to why the Opal plastic card had been introduced?

In order for a plastic card to operate lots of electronic gadgetry needed to be installed in the turnstile and on the plastic Opal Card. I imagine this electronic gadgetry to be somewhat similar to that of Automatic Teller or Banking Machines (ATM & ABM). Unless deleted, the computer registered record usage of these machines are capable of keeping any transaction. In other words, every time I travel by either train, bus or ferry in NSW there is a computer kept record of my travel. I and am told that this record is stored for some 3 years and could be used and made available to investigators. In terms of security, perceived or real on my train, bus and ferry ride, the Opal ticket might as well be a plane ticket. Why cant I use my NSW Opal ticket to travel by air? Maybe one day Opal Air will start a revolution- I could one day travel by air on a tap on and off, have a great day sir welcome to Australia?!!

I do know for a fact that there is a 1982 Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act that allows the Legal Profession, and any member of the public, access to records and information. I also know for a fact that the Act in question does have specific ‘Public Interest’ Provision. But we commuters of NSW public transport are told nothing. 

Let me repeat what Transport Minister, Gladys Berejklian, said on 7 December 2012:
“I was delighted to join customers on day one of this exciting trial. Opal will transform the way people travel in NSW and mean an end to ticket queues and fumbling for coins.”

I do not know about you, but like politicians to sometimes tell the truth. The question is whether the now, State of NSW treasurer, Gladys Berejklian, knew the truth when she uttered the above quoted words. I know there are far worse things in this world than fumbling for coins.
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