Thursday, 5 February 2026

 Renee HEATH (Eastern Victoria) (18:39): (2282) My adjournment matter is directed towards the Minister for Public and Active Transport. This Labor government has just delivered another direct blow to Gippslanders, and if any of Jacinta Allan’s 85 publicly funded advisers had actually listened to regional Victorians they would have immediately noticed it. A recent change in the V/Line timetable has pushed back the earliest morning service from Gippsland by 11 minutes. It used to reach Southern Cross station at 6:45 am, allowing passengers to reach their jobs for a 7 am start. Now it arrives at 6:56 am. This is a small change, but it has a huge consequence: Gippslanders no longer reach their jobs or classes by 7 am. Tradies, apprentices, students and early shift workers are now locked out. This is not a lifestyle inconvenience or a minor detail of just 11 minutes; it is now an economic barrier. Work and study opportunities are being stripped away from regional Victorians. People are being forced to drive long distances, relocate or abandon their jobs altogether. One tradie who contacted my office has already left Garfield as a direct result. This change sits within Labor’s so-called big switch, and once again regional Victoria is paying the price for Labor’s disinterested neglect. Inner-city votes are being prioritised over regional livelihoods. Public transport should connect regional communities to opportunities. Instead this decision cuts Gippslanders off from work, training and growth. It undermines work participation and regional retention. For communities already facing labour shortages this is damaging, for young people trying to study or start careers this is devastating and for small towns it accelerates decline. The action I seek from the minister is this: to restore the service to what it was before so regional Victorians can reach work and study.