Northern Metropolitan Region
Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:49): (255) My constituency question is for the Minister for Public Transport. In the north of my electorate of Northern Metropolitan Region residents of Wallan and Donnybrook use Victoria’s regional V/Line service every day to get to and from the city. But for the next three weeks, due to rail works, the people of Wallan and Donnybrook will be shuffled onto buses every evening. We welcome upgrades to the Seymour line; it has been allowed to decay from underinvestment for years under this government. But when communities in the inner and middle suburbs are taken off trains and put onto buses, Melbourne passengers are told by staff the travel is free. They would not have to pay if they were going from Craigieburn, so why are our growth suburbs just a few kilometres north still being charged the full fare? Given the government says they have capped V/Line prices the same as metro prices, why are Wallan and Donnybrook still paying for replacement buses when the rest of Melbourne does not?