Tuesday, 3 February 2026

 Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (20:29): Labor is bragging about its big switch to new train timetables, but for Shepparton residents it is just another big let-down. I wanted to start 2026 by using my members statement to tell my constituents in Shepparton that after waiting several years and enduring constant disruption to their rail services, they can finally take advantage of additional train services to Melbourne, but unfortunately I cannot deliver that news. Almost five years ago, back in 2021, Jacinta Allan promised that by 2023 there would be nine return train services every weekday for passengers travelling between Shepparton and Melbourne. But Jacinta failed to meet her own 2023 deadline and constantly delayed this project with an endless string of excuses. Six weeks have now passed since Labor’s announced completion date for upgrade works on the Shepparton line of 14 December last year, but the updated timetables, which include dozens of new services on other regional train lines, reveal that Shepparton has missed out once again on new train services, proving that Shepparton is not a priority for Jacinta Allan and the Labor government. If the signalling work for stage 3 of the Shepparton line upgrade is now complete – two years late – then why weren’t the additional services included in the big switch timetable? Labor has run out of excuses for further delays. The government must turn on the Wyndham Street traffic lights and roll out the full nine weekday return services immediately. Jacinta Allan needs to stop with the spin and come clean about when she will fulfil her promise to deliver nine – (Time expired)