Thursday, 20 November 2025

 Sarah CONNOLLY (Laverton) (10:01): Great news! It is only 10 days until our Metro Tunnel opens, which is fantastic news for the whole of Victoria. It is also 10 days until we kick off free public transport on weekends for everyone, everywhere until 1 February. But that is not all, folks. From 1 January our two major budget cost-of-living measures kick in: free public transport for seniors on weekends as well as kids under the age of 18 being able to travel anywhere, anytime, for free. Whether you are under 18 and you are travelling to school in the morning or you are having a hangout with friends, if you have a kids Myki, you will not pay a cent. And yes, you will still need to tap on and tap off so we know how many people are using our wonderful public transport.

When I am out in Melbourne’s west we are talking about this policy time and time again. There are folks who love to stop to chat that tell me about how much money they are going to save. They see the sign on my corflute and their eyes light up, because they know this is real cost-of-living relief that is going to go straight to helping the family budget. In fact parents are going to save on average $755 a year. That is so much money, considering most parents have more than one child. That is like a family holiday just from the saving in free public transport. There is so much positivity right across Victoria for free public transport, and it is just another example of how Labor really is on the side of all Victorians.