Wednesday, 18 March 2026

 Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (18:24): (2424) The action I seek today is for the Minister for Public and Active Transport to make public transport in Melbourne free for the next month as immediate cost-of-living relief. Petrol prices are spiking, and people across the state are feeling the pain. In a cost-of-living crisis, people should not be forced into petrol car dependency and paying high fuel prices just to get to work, to get the kids to school, to get to the shops or to attend appointments. The Allan government can and should act now to provide immediate relief. The Greens are calling for free public transport in Melbourne for the next month, and we know that this can be rolled out easily. Making public transport free could save a commuter household up to $500 across the month, and for families, young people and renters already being smashed by rising costs, this would make a real difference.

This proposal, though, is about more than immediate relief. Petrol price surges show exactly why governments need to help people move away from dependence on expensive petrol cars. But just telling people and supporting people to switch to electric vehicles is not enough – not everyone can go out and buy a new car tomorrow. Many people, though, could go and catch public transport tomorrow and many people could ride a bike tomorrow if safe infrastructure was there and we had frequent, fast and affordable services on PT. While making public transport free for the next month, the government should also be working on longer term changes that we need to help people save money and travel more easily – running trains, trams and buses more often; reforming our bus network; investing in safe bike lanes instead of standing by while they are ripped up; and helping people switch to electric vehicles. Public transport fares in Victoria keep rising year after year. Other jurisdictions are not doing this. We know governments can choose to make public transport cheaper and more accessible. What is missing in Victoria is not the capacity to act but the political will. Minister, you can and should make public transport free for the next month, tomorrow.