Thursday, 19 June 2025

Eastern Victoria Region

Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:53): (1662) My question is to the Minister for Public and Active Transport. I was contacted by a distressed resident who regularly travels on Latrobe Valley Bus Lines, Public Transport Victoria. They raised some serious issues, which are ongoing there, of anti-social behaviour, allegedly involving weapons, physical and verbal assaults, drug and alcohol use in addition to fare refusal. Sadly, the Latrobe Valley has a very high crime rate, and elderly passengers are frightened by these unacceptable behaviours that appear to have been rapidly deteriorating in the past two years – unruly teens acting with impunity. The bus company is doing all it can to protect its own staff and the passengers, and our under-resourced police are often unable to respond in a timely manner. Safe Transport Victoria has the responsible nature to actually protect the bus drivers and passengers. I ask the minister: what will you do, working with Latrobe Valley Bus Lines, to provide extra security measures at interchanges to make sure people and bus company staff arrive at their destinations safely?