Wednesday, 29 October 2025

 Jeff BOURMAN (Eastern Victoria) (12:14): (1095) My question is for the minister representing the minister for transport in the other place, who I believe might be Minister Shing. In 2014 the Napthine government committed $40 million to provide free wi-fi on regional train services between Melbourne and Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Seymour and Traralgon, a project your government scrapped in 2015. Since then patronage on country rail has grown by about 60 per cent, with strong uptake in the Gippsland area driven by fare reductions and, more recently, increased services thanks to the Gippsland line upgrade. Meanwhile, internet technology has leapfrogged ahead. In 2014, mobile satellite internet relied on slow, high-latency geostationary systems. Today low Earth orbit satellites offer fast, portable, cost-effective connectivity that can realistically support high-speed internet on moving trains. With more Victorians now integrating train travel into their hybrid working lives, will the government commit to finally delivering reliable and free internet on regional trains?

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Housing and Building, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:15): Thank you, Mr Bourman, for that question. I will ensure that it is passed on to the minister in the other place for an answer in accordance with the standing orders.

 Jeff BOURMAN (Eastern Victoria) (12:16): I thank the minister for passing that on. Minister, back in 2014 a Labor spokesperson dismissed the coalition’s wi-fi plan, saying:

Wi-Fi is a nice idea, but not if you’re only using it to email your boss to say the train is running half an hour late, again …

Now the trains are running more reliably, thanks in part to your government’s investments, will you now fix the connectivity and ensure that commuting time can also be productive time for regional Victorians?

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Housing and Building, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:16): Thank you, Mr Bourman, for that supplementary question. I will ensure that that is passed on to the relevant minister for an answer in accordance with the standing orders.