Wednesday, 16 October 2024

 Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (Northern Victoria) (18:59): (1188) My adjournment matter for tonight is for the Minister for Public and Active Transport, and the action I seek is for the return of buffet cars to all regional trains. My constituents have reached out to me with a problem that might seem very trivial to some but that can make a big difference for others. At 6:19 am many of us are still tucked up in our nice warm beds, but some of my constituents are pulling out of the Shepparton station heading towards Melbourne. Some of these people have already travelled for an hour or so to reach the station. On a cold morning many of us enjoy nothing more than a nice warm cup of tea or coffee. This is not a luxury afforded to the travellers on the new VLocity trains. You see, there are no buffet cars anymore, and sometimes it is not feasible to bring hot food and drinks onto the train.

My constituents are not asking for a 5-star restaurant; they are asking for somewhere to get a nice warm cuppa early in the morning and maybe a toasted sandwich or the like. Travellers on the Albury, Swan Hill and Warrnambool lines still have this option on some of their services, but the rest of our regional travellers miss out. The action I seek from the minister, for the comfort of our regional travellers, is to return the buffet cars.