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Auckland’s Waiheke Island community will protest against Fullers ferry service, which residents say is “overpriced and unreliable” and is forcing them to choose between basic necessities.
“With the recent 19% price hike, tickets are now sitting at $59 return for non-residents and $50 return for residents,” Bianca Ranson, protest organiser and a member of the Waiheke Local Board, wrote in a statement.
“These changes have forced people into choosing between groceries for the week, or hospital care.”
As well as asking the Transport Minister, David Parker, to intervene, Waiheke mana whenua, community members and business owners are gathering at Matiatia Bay at 10am on Sunday, to protest against the ferry service, which they claim is “the most expensive in the world per km”.
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Ranson said the community had noticed a “huge downturn in foot traffic”, as the island is no longer “financially accessible”.
“There can be no destination tourism without an affordable ferry,” Ranson wrote.
The island was also excluded from the government’s public transport subsidies.
That included, according to Rannson, children between 5-12 riding free, discounted fares for those up to 25, and 50% off travel for community services cards for “our most vulnerable community members”.
Jason Dorday/Stuff
The Waiheke Island community is over the “overpriced and unreliable” Fullers ferry service.
“Waiheke residents are fed up and want the Minister of Transport to act now and bring Waiheke into Public Transport Operating Model (PTOM) under Auckland Transport (AT) before the election.”
The PTOM is the framework that governs how public transport bus and ferry services are planned, procured and delivered.
Ranson claimed Waiheke residents were being “held to ransom by private profit over community wellbeing and fair fares”.
“Waiheke Island is more than just a playground for the rich and privileged, we are a community and have the right to have accessible and affordable access to public transport,” Ranson wrote.
“It is unacceptable that a private company has such control over what should be a public asset. We refuse to stand by as Fullers continues to hold our community hostage with over-priced fares and unreliable services.
“We deserve the same subsidies as the rest of the country. The time is now, join us to show that our community wants change.”
Abigail Dougherty/Stuff
Waiheke Island residents say the island is more than just a playground for the “rich and privileged”.
The protest at Matiatia Bay is promised to be a peaceful family-friendly event, with attendees encouraged to dress up in “ocean themed costumes”, with DJs.
Green Party MP for Auckland Central Chlöe Swarbrick will be attending the protest.
She said the former National government’s decision to exclude the Waiheke ferry service from the PTOM had resulted in increasingly unaffordable fares and a monopoly for island transport.
“This weekend’s protest is just the latest in ongoing actions I am taking alongside residents frustrated by decisions that should have never been made in 2012.”
She hoped to meet with the transport minister over the coming weeks.
The minister, Fullers and Auckland Transport have been approached for comment.
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