Tuesday, 11 August 2026

 John LISTER (Werribee) (19:09): (1762) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Public Transport, and the action I seek is for the Labor government to deliver upgrades to Werribee train station. I have used Werribee station my whole life, whether it was going to and from uni in Parkville or travelling to this place. I understand what it is like to move through that station. There has been a lot of noise from certain councillors and aspiring politicians about the station and its aesthetics, but this issue is not one of just appearances. As a Labor member of Parliament, I am here to fight for our most vulnerable in society, so I have taken the time to understand the experience of people with limited mobility and other disabilities using the station. When I met with them, they were not just concerned about the colour of the tiles or the lights. For them, it was about feeling secure and seen. People like Storm told me of experiences waiting for a train and being exposed to the elements and having to get the driver’s attention to get the ramp and board the train. I have also met with older people from our local retirement village who use the station daily, and they told me about the need to have clearer wayfinding, brighter lights and signage. Everyone agreed that the station needed some love and attention.

It probably comes from my time as a teacher, but I love a survey. I thank residents for completing my survey on Werribee train station and their experience. Some of the things they told us were that even just a simple, basic upgrade would be appreciated: ‘It just needs a refresh/makeover. Thank you.’ They also wrote, ‘better signage’, ‘added brightness in terms of colour’, ‘renewed walkways’, ‘greenery’ and ‘repainting or altering the structures here and there’. One that I liked particularly was, ‘Please get the pressure washer out and give the entire area a good wash.’ This is how I work: understanding the issue, working in a Labor government and ultimately delivering for my community. I think everyone can agree that we want people to spend as little time as possible waiting for a train or bus. I am proud to have advocated for increased bus services across our most popular routes in Werribee and to bring online the route 194 around the west of Werribee and Wyndham Vale.

This week we saw a huge uplift in train services for the Werribee line, with more peak services to and from the city thanks to the Metro Tunnel project unlocking that corridor. In addition to these improvements delivered by the Labor government, I want to see our terminus station at Werribee uplifted to not only improve the aesthetics and the vibe but also make life that little bit easier for our most vulnerable in the community. In developing this and presenting this to the Minister for Public Transport, I have also had the honour of meeting our Metro Trains staff down there at Werribee station and seeing the conditions they work in, as well as meeting with the Department of Transport and Planning to understand the technical challenges weaving through both the terminus, public walkway, metro services terminating there and signalling services for our broad-gauge and standard-gauge block that runs through Werribee. I look forward to the minister’s response.