Transport officials in New South Wales will seize unspent balances from unused, unregistered Opal cards. The funds, totalling around $70 million, will be redirected to local transport infrastructure improvements.
The move, announced this week by the NSW Labor government, will apply only to cards that have remained inactive for five years or more. A 12-month public campaign will precede any account closures, giving users time to reactivate or claim refunds.
This unprecedented initiative marks the state’s largest reclaim of transport-related funds to date. It follows a growing trend of travellers abandoning physical transit cards in favour of contactless payments. While the government emphasises reinvestment in infrastructure, the policy has also prompted public debate over ownership rights and consumer fairness.
Millions in Unclaimed Balances Targeted Under New Legislation
The NSW government is preparing to reclaim an estimated $70 million in dormant balances from roughly 17 million unregistered Opal cards, according to Transport for NSW. The plan was outlined in a bill introduced to parliament this week, giving legal grounds to transport authorities to withdraw funds from cards that have been untouched for five years or longer.
Transport Minister John Graham described the bill as a practical way to reinvest idle funds into the state’s public transport system, citing projects such as Opal bike lockers and active transport hubs. “What we are doing is using forgotten funds for the benefit of people resident in NSW,” he said.
According to officials, the majority of these dormant cards were likely purchased by interstate or international visitors who never registered their details and left behind small residual balances. With no link to a personal bank account or user identity, the cards are considered untraceable. The average balance per card is around $4, which cumulatively amounts to a substantial figure.
Importantly, the legislation does not apply to registered Opal cards, which are protected from forfeiture regardless of how long they remain unused. Cardholders who have not travelled in years but registered their accounts still retain full access to their funds.
Public Response Mixed as State Pledges Transparency and Time
While the measure has received support for its intended reinvestment in transport, others have raised ethical questions. Some citizens argue that pre-loaded funds should not be reclaimed without direct consent, especially for those who use public transport only sporadically or during visits to Sydney.
One online commenter described the action as unfair, writing: “People pay in advance on these cards. If they can’t get out of the house for a while, you take the money. That’s so damn wrong.”
In response, NSW officials stressed that the plan includes a year-long public awareness campaign. During this period, anyone who holds a card unused for more than five years will be able to register, refund, or reactivate their balance.
According to Josh Murray, Secretary of Transport for NSW, the state is seeing a steady shift towards contactless fare payments, with over 60 per cent of adult travellers now tapping on with bank cards or smartphones. This shift has led to a doubling of dormant Opal card funds over the past five years.
The policy, while not without precedent—Queensland already redirects dormant funds from its own travel cards—is the first of its kind in New South Wales. The government maintains that it will be implemented with clear communication, advance notice, and the option to recover funds.
