AA/Istanbul
The Australian states of Victoria and Tasmania announced free public transport on Sunday, in response to rising fuel prices caused by the intensification of the conflict in the Middle East, local media reported.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said the state government would make all public transport services free for a month from Tuesday, according to local broadcaster SBS News.
She specified that this measure aims to make public transport more accessible to residents in the face of soaring gasoline prices.
In Tasmania, the free ride will be even longer, with free bus and ferry travel until June 30.
Neither Victoria nor Tasmania have indicated that these measures will become permanent.
Conversely, New South Wales, Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia have ruled out following this initiative, their governments preferring to focus on other forms of purchasing power assistance.
According to the Australian Institute of Petroleum (AIP), prices of petroleum products in Australia have risen by a record 27% since the start of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
In a related move, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Saturday that his government would guarantee the purchase of essential goods affected by the Middle East conflict, as part of new energy security measures.
Albanese is due to meet state and territory leaders on Monday to discuss further measures to prevent fuel shortages.
Regional tensions have continued since Israel and the United States launched an offensive against Iran on February 28, killing more than 1,340 people to date, including former supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran responded with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US forces, causing casualties, damage to infrastructure and disruption to global markets and aviation.
*Translated from English by Sanaa Amir
