Tuesday, 21 June 2022

 Dr CUMMING (Western Metropolitan) (19:17): (1995) My adjournment matter is to the Minister for Transport Infrastructure in the other place, and the action that I seek is for the minister to consider reopening the North Altona railway station, commonly known as Paisley station. Now, the station was closed in 1985—not a bad year, 85. In the five years to June 2010 patronage between Newport and Werribee and Newport and Williamstown increased by 54 per cent, with at least 40 000 rail trips made each day. In 2011 the Hobsons Bay City Council approached the government to have the station reopened. Their request was refused, and in 2018 an e-petition to reopen the station was tabled. In February 2020 I asked the minister about reopening the station. This matter has been raised numerous times and still remains a priority of the Hobsons Bay council and their residents in Altona North.

The platform still exists, so it is still viable and visible. The decision to close the station was obviously not a forward-thinking one. Altona North is pretty much a black hole for public transport. The population has increased, with large developments currently underway in precinct 15. Residents currently rely on a bus network or cars to drive to Newport train station or even to North Williamstown station, their closest stations. Reopening the Paisley train station would ease traffic and parking congestion at Newport train station, because there is little car parking around North Williamstown. There is also a new shopping precinct, which is called Millers Junction, within reach of the former Paisley train station. The precinct includes supermarkets, a hardware store, cafes, hospitality, retail locations and even a cinema. Altona North itself will see an estimated increase of 7000 residents once the new development in precinct 15 opens, so it makes sense to ease the pressure on Newport station by reopening this station. I urge the government to consider reopening the station at North Altona, and they should do it now.