Thursday, 24 September 2026

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:52): (2665) My constituency question is for the Minister for Public Transport, and it asks: will the minister commit to a funded regular program of maintenance and restoration of the Ballarat railway station? This magnificent 1860s heritage building is one of Ballarat’s most important landmarks, but it is fast turning into a monumental embarrassment. Like much of our publicly owned infrastructure, it has crumbling render, peeling paint, missing timber mouldings, graffiti and deteriorating timber around the signal box. Meanwhile Labor has spent $52 million on a pedestrian overpass and lifts at the station. The member for Wendouree is happy to celebrate a project that is vastly overpriced, but where was she when the heritage station needed someone to fight for its restoration.