Thursday, 13 August 2026

 Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (12:45): (2504) My question is to Minister for Public Transport. Ballarat V/Line trains have hit their monthly punctuality targets just twice in the last two years – that is twice in 24 months. Forty-five services were cancelled and more than 25 delayed just in July. That is beyond hopeless. A train is considered punctual if it arrives in under 6 minutes, and that was met 85.3 per cent of the time in July, well below the 92 per cent target. In Switzerland they achieved a 94.1 per cent punctuality rate in 2025, and punctuality over there is considered anything under 3 minutes. In Japan delays are measured in seconds, with almost 100 per cent punctuality; if trains are 20 seconds late, the company can almost deliver an apology. But of course the Japanese must laugh at Victoria; it is like comparing apples and melons – and we know that your mate over there, Albo, loves talking about melons. So my question to the minister is: what are you going to do to fix the poor punctuality on the Ballarat line?