Tuesday, 3 February 2026

 Trung LUU (Western Metropolitan) (21:05): (2256) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety. In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis Victorian motorists have been slugged with an excessive administration fee for travelling on CityLink and the West Gate Tunnel. The action I seek is for the minister to urgently review Transurban’s administration fee practice on CityLink and West Gate Tunnel tolls and bring Victoria in line with reform already underway in New South Wales. Victorian motorists have been slugged with administration fees that are not only excessive but also unjustifiable. If a driver fails to pay a toll within three days, Transurban adds a $16.30 administrative fee to the invoice. Leave it unpaid for 17 days and that fee doubles to $31.49. Often an ordinary toll as low as $3.27, with these charges, can snowball into criminal debts of up to $450 enforced by Fines Victoria at taxpayers expense. Last financial year Victorians paid $987 million in CityLink tolls. That figure will soar with the opening of the $10.2 billion West Gate Tunnel. Yet while New South Wales has acted, slashing the administration fee to just $1.10 for the first notice and $2.20 for the second notice, here in Victoria the Allan Labor government remains silent. Transurban agreed to remove administration fees in New South Wales from mid-2026 following a government review. Why are Victorians still paying up to 10 times the cost of the toll in fees?

Financial counsellors and community legal advocates have called these fees ‘totally disproportionate’ and a barrier for struggling families. Hardship programs exist on paper but fail in practice. Unlike public transport, there is no concessional rate with tolls. This is not just about fairness; it is about preventing vulnerable Victorians from falling into spiralling debt. Removing ridiculous administration fees or at least lowering them significantly is a first step, but broader reform is needed. I call on the minister to act now. The Allan Labor government cannot allow a $45 billion toll giant to profit at the expense of families already battling cost-of-living pressure. If New South Wales can deliver a reform, so can we. Victorians deserve a fair go, not punitive fees that turn a $3 toll into a $450 debt.