Public transport exists to serve the public. If complicated return fares, while inefficient and perhaps annoying, ultimately better serve the public, then that is good reason for them to remain.

I know what will happen. We're at the stage of the PR spiel where they acknowledge there will be some losers but overall it "will benefit the majority". That will silence any critics. Then when it's being implemented, it'll turn to "we always knew there would be some winners and losers (dropping the "it will benefit the majority" part). Then a couple of years after the change, it will be: we regret how much it's affected a lot of people, but it's here now, and we're using all the extra revenue to invest in the railway. Like something out of Yes, Minister

Given the list of issues with our rail system currently, I'm not sure abolishing return fares should be high up on the list.