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Australia news live: arrival of H5N1 bird flu a ‘genuine wildlife emergency’, experts say; fuel excise rebate extended for extra month
TL;DR
Melbourne tram passengers can now use bank cards, smartphones, or smartwatches for payments, following a rollout of tap-and-go technology. This update comes nearly a decade after similar systems were introduced in Sydney.
Key points
- Melbourne tram passengers can use tap-and-go payments.
- Payment options include bank cards, smartphones, and smartwatches.
- This follows a rollout to the train network and regional routes.
- Buses are expected to adopt the same payment method.
- Myki cards remain an option for passengers.
Tram passengers in Melbourne will be able to pay for their trip using a bank card, smartphone or smartwatch from today.
The long awaited expansion of tap-and-go payments follows a staged roll out to the city’s train network and main regional routes. Buses are expected to follow.
The step follows almost a decade after Sydney introduced tap-and-go payments.
Passengers who prefer to use a Myki card can continue to do so.
Gabrielle Williams, the Victorian minister for public and active transport, said:
double quotation markFrom today, you can step off a train and straight on to a tram using the same phone, watch or bank card.
Four in five tap and go trips are already being made with a phone or smartwatch – showing more Victorians are leaving the wallet at home.
Commuters in Melbourne will be able to use a phone, smartwatch or credit card on public transport from today. Photograph: Nadir Kinani/The Guardian
Kate Millar, chief executive of BirdLife Australia, said the significance for Australian wildlife of the arrival of H5N1 bird flu could not be overstated and it could be “the beginning of a long fight to protect birds and wildlife in Australia”:
double quotation markThe potential for this virus to kill wildlife in significant numbers means it could be particularly catastrophic for threatened species.
We are talking about possible extinctions, alongside severe impacts to common birds like our beloved pelicans and black swans.
Millar said she was concerned “many jurisdictions at the local level simply don’t yet have plans in place to respond to H5 bird flu” and called for a rapid increase in investment in conservation programs to ensure people could respond.
The Invasive Species Council (ISC) and the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) have called for an extra $200m in funding over the next two years.
AMCS campaigns director Alexia Wellbelove said H5 bird flu posed a real risk to the future of species such as the Australian sea lion, which was already endangered and existed nowhere else on earth.
Q&A
When did Melbourne start allowing tap-and-go payments on trams?
Tap-and-go payments on Melbourne trams started today.
What payment methods are accepted on Melbourne trams now?
Passengers can pay using bank cards, smartphones, or smartwatches.
Will buses in Melbourne also accept tap-and-go payments?
Yes, buses are expected to follow suit and accept tap-and-go payments.
Can passengers still use Myki cards on Melbourne trams?
Yes, passengers who prefer can continue to use their Myki cards.
