Tuesday, 31 March 2026

 Gabrielle WILLIAMS (Dandenong – Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Minister for Public and Active Transport) (14:24): With rising fuel prices, household budgets are under pressure, and while we cannot in this place influence global conflicts or global oil prices, we are firmly focused on what it is we can do to help Victorian families when they need it most. That is why Labor has made public transport free for the month of April. That is every train, every tram, every bus – metro and regional – for everyone. For those who use public transport regularly, it will save over $220 throughout the month of April. For those who do need to drive, though, which includes of course Victorian farmers and those working in trades, it will reduce pressure on fuel availability and also reduce congestion.

This builds on Labor’s introduction of free public transport for kids under the age of 18, saving parents up to $755 per year per child and in some cases even more than that, and it builds on Labor’s regional fare cap, which has collectively now saved Victorian passengers millions and of course encouraged Victorians to get out there and explore our beautiful regions too.

The reason we can introduce initiatives like this is thanks to the thousands of extra services that we have introduced across our network – 24,000 extra bus services, over 3500 extra train services, hundreds of extra tram services. That enables us to ensure that we can introduce initiatives like this which help Victorian families, and there are even more services being added in the middle of the year.

Free public transport during this time has been supported by Liberal parties across the nation. It has been backed by the New South Wales Liberal opposition, the South Australian Liberal opposition and the Tasmanian Liberal government. It has even been championed by the champion of cuts himself Jeff Kennett. But there is one notable exception. The Victorian Liberal opposition, yet again, are selling Victorians out, too focused on themselves and out of touch with Victorian families.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, as I have raised repeatedly, the government are misusing their ministers statements to sledge the opposition repeatedly, which is outside the entitlement of what they are able to do with their ministers statements.

The SPEAKER: The minister has concluded her ministers statement. I do remind ministers about attacking the opposition, even past oppositions, even though that is okay if you are comparing and contrasting.