Hansard debates

Mr NORTHE (Morwell) — Well, the V/Line saga continues in Gippsland with further disruptions to services, the overcrowding of carriages and the proposal of terminating services at Pakenham again raising its head. Despite the rhetoric of this government, nothing appears to have changed. Gippsland commuters well remember the massive disruption to services earlier in the year, and just recently, on 9 August, approximately 200 Gippsland commuters were stuck on an early morning train for a number of hours, causing great frustration. On Sunday, 7 August, local commuters reported significant overcrowding on the 9.16 a.m. Traralgon to Melbourne service. Many of these commuters were elderly and with ailments, and they were forced to stand in crowded carriages for a significant period of time.

And then we have the Premier's regional citizen jury, without a Gippsland representative, recommending that some Gippsland V/Line services be terminated at Pakenham. No wonder Gippsland commuters have had a gutful of being neglected by this government, which has absolutely no vision in addressing ongoing service and capacity issues on the Gippsland line.