"Both" parties intending to remove Zone 3 from the public transport network [The Age]. Apparently this will cost "$20 million" in lost fees.

I wonder if cost estimates such as this, including the $200ish million estimated for the free transport for students and children, include any estimate for the cost of extra patronage?

I doubt it.

I have no problem with removing Zone 3. I might suggest though that people haven't been asking for cheaper public transport, they've been asking for more frequent and better services. Removing Zone 3 won't make the big metal people movers run more frequently.

On free-transport-for-some, I think I would have preferred cheap transport, such as the "gold coin" idea. We already have the concession card. Will this still be required? Will the "student card" now be their ticket? Will they still have to be checked?

I presume they'll have to register, much as over 65's much register to received their free transport ticket. That sounds expensive and unnecessarily complicated.

And did anyone actually ask why parents drive their children to school instead of making them take the train? I bet it had zero to do with the cost of the train ticket.