<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The main transport workers' union in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/new-south-wales" rel="" target="" title="NSW"><span>NSW</span></a><span> has called on the state </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/government" rel="" target="_blank" title="government"><span>government</span></a><span> to scrap fares on public transport as more people ditch </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/cars" rel="" target="_blank" title="cars"><span>cars</span></a><span> due to the rising </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/petrol-prices" rel="" target="_blank" title="cost of petrol"><span>cost of petrol</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>With diesel reaching above </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/middle-east-war-petrol-prices-australia-police-warn-fuel-theft-is-on-the-rise/a4a8f8ed-7383-47dd-9cdc-d684ed2d200d" rel="" target="_blank" title="$3 a litre"><span>$3 a litre</span></a><span> in some parts of the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/australia" rel="" target="_blank" title="country"><span>country</span></a><span>, and unleaded not too far behind, more people are using public transport to commute to and from work.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>With higher inflation and </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/interest-rates" rel="" target="_blank" title="interest rates"><span>interest rates</span></a><span> also contributing to cost-of-living pressures, the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/trains" rel="" target="_blank" title="Rail"><span>Rail</span></a><span>, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/trams" rel="" target="_blank" title="Tram"><span>Tram</span></a><span> and </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/bus" rel="" target="_blank" title="Bus"><span>Bus</span></a><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/unions" rel="" target="_blank" title="Union"><span>Union</span></a><span> (RTBU) believes public transport fares should either be reduced significantly or temporarily removed altogether.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>UPDATE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/tasmania-montagu-four-people-missing-fishing-trip/368fb49a-8211-460e-a932-7add80ae227b" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Three sailors including child rescued after 'floating in ocean' for 16 hours</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We could reduce to nothing for a period of time, or drop it to 50 cents, which has worked well in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/queensland" rel="" target="_blank" title="Queensland"><span>Queensland</span></a><span>," RTBU NSW branch secretary Toby Warnes said at a press conference in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/sydney" rel="" target="_blank" title="Sydney"><span>Sydney</span></a><span> today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Get them out of their cars, give them cost-of-living relief, use the fuel where we need it."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>POLITICS:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/south-australia-election-one-nation-barnaby-joyce-says-party-will-only-grow-in-future-elections/024542f5-fa77-4b62-a31a-a40f3fcb9d45" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>'Growing and growing': Joyce's bold prediction on One Nation's future</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/free-public-transport-sydney-nsw-fuel-crisis-australia/2979dce3-7e29-4865-9d01-62c803b02d90" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Transport Minister John Graham quickly poured cold water on the idea, claiming public transport in Sydney was already priced fairly.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Public transport is a good alternative if you are worried about fuel prices," he said without supporting the union's initiative.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The daily cap for adults using public transport in Sydney is $19.30 between Monday and Thursday, and $9.65 from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Current estimates show Australians are paying about $30 more per tank of unleaded petrol and $70 per tank of diesel since the start of the US and Israel's war in Iran.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/south-australia-election-one-nation-barnaby-joyce-says-party-will-only-grow-in-future-elections/024542f5-fa77-4b62-a31a-a40f3fcb9d45" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>'Growing and growing': Joyce's bold prediction on One Nation's future</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The government says oil shipments haven't been hugely impacted by the recent conflict in the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/middle-east" rel="" target="" title="Middle East"><span>Middle East</span></a><span>, with federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen declaring only six of the 81 shipments of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/oil" rel="" target="_blank" title="oil"><span>oil</span></a><span> to Australia since the conflict began earlier this month have been cancelled.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He also quashed the idea of fuel rationing being required in parts of Australia, despite some petrol pumps running dry.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The federal government does have powers, we are not contemplating to use any of those powers," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He conceded there would be "bumps in supply".</span></div></div><div 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