Wednesday, 18 March 2026

 Michael GALEA (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (17:35): I was looking forward to doing a statement on a report on school funding tonight, but I just cannot resist the opportunity to talk about budget initiatives for the Department of Transport and Planning in last year’s budget papers, in particular the modernisation of the Myki system. Indeed I am delighted to rise to be able to advise Ms Bath that not as of some point in the future but in fact as of Monday this week you can already actually use contactless tap and go to travel on four rail lines in Victoria, on the Seymour line, on the Ballarat line, on the Craigieburn line and on the Upfield line, because – I am sure Mr Welch will be able to tell you this, Ms Bath – this is what generally happens with software and technology rollouts. You do the background work –

Melina Bath interjected.

Michael GALEA: We do not want an ultranet. That sounds like a delightful story. Ms Bath, my only disappointment in your contribution was that you did not actually play out the jingle and the song and dance for us, but I hope we can look forward to that in future discussions. With any sort of technology rollout you do, you open up to the trial period, you open up to a small market, you iron out any bugs, and that is exactly what is being done right now. In fact it is very much on time. I was with the Minister for Public and Active Transport just last year when we were announcing the design of the new free youth Myki – another initiative in the Myki space – with a wonderful young man, Charlie, whose design was selected for the graphic design of the new Myki cards. In fact the minister was asked at a press conference when the system would be rolled out, and she said it will be on a few train lines from early 2026. Indeed here we are in early 2026, and that is already now up and running. I am very much looking forward to seeing the outcomes of the trial on the Craigieburn, Upfield, Ballarat and Seymour lines before it then gets rolled out progressively to other rail lines and then to the tram network, bus network and regional network as well. It is a great initiative to see, and much as Ms Bath might like to say that we are somehow back in the Dark Ages, there are actually very few cities worldwide that have this technology. I admit there are a few that already have it up and running, but we are determined not to have a debacle on our hands but to actually do it properly. That is why we have taken the time to do the work properly. It has been rolled out; the trial is in.

I did find it interesting that Ms Bath talked about the so-called issue of Myki limping along, saying that she was not sure why Myki had not been put to death. That is probably because it is working. It has been working for 16 years. I do not know the last time Ms Bath took a train on the Gippsland line, but certainly I use the train regularly, and the Myki works. It does its job; it taps on, it taps off and it does what it is meant to do. If you would like to do that, Ms Bath, I entirely encourage you to. Indeed, when you are catching the Gippsland line to the city, you may well note that the Gippsland line still terminates at Southern Cross. I note some questions that were put to the Parliament last year, a bit of a National Party scare campaign of ‘The Gippsland line isn’t going to go all the way. They’re going to stop it at Pakenham. They’re not going to run the trains into the city once the Metro Tunnel opens.’ The minister gave a very clear answer that the trains will still continue to run all the way in to Southern Cross. Then what did we see? The result of that very clear answer from the minister was that we saw Ms Bath telling the Pakenham Gazette, ‘We don’t know if the trains are still going to run to the city. They might finish at Pakenham.’ We do know in fact now that the Metro Tunnel is up and running – it has been up and running for several months, with the summer start in December and now with the big switch, and performing by all accounts very well. We still see V/Line trains –

Melina Bath interjected.

Michael GALEA: I have caught a V/Line train to the city since that time, Ms Bath. Since the time of the Metro Tunnel opening I have caught the Metro Tunnel many times as well. Indeed on one occasion from Pakenham I was able to catch the V/Line as well, as we still have that delightful fare anomaly that allows Pakenham passengers to use the V/Line. Indeed it did not terminate there. It went all the way in – I got off a bit earlier – to Southern Cross. It is terrific to see the investments that this government is making in our public transport network, whether you are in inner Melbourne, whether you are in the outer suburbs like mine, seeing the 798 and 831 buses upgraded, the Metro Tunnel opening, or whether you are seeing the Gippsland line upgraded with more services on the Gippsland line, just as there are more services on all regional rail lines in all directions of the state.

Melina Bath interjected.

Michael GALEA: Well, no, not Leongatha, Ms Bath, because your lot actually closed the Leongatha line, if you recall, back in the 1990s. I was not going to mention Jeff Kennett – I know Mr McIntosh walked into the room – but it was actually your side of the house, Ms Bath, that closed the Leongatha line unfortunately. But we will continue to invest in rail services and coach services –

Melina Bath: On a point of order, President, the speaker is provoking this side of the house, and I ask you to ask him to desist.

The PRESIDENT: I think his time is going to expire in 3 seconds.