Victorian Hansard - Rail: Bairnsdale service

[dbromage@fang.omni.com.au (David Bromage)]

Questions without Notice
24 October 2000

Rail: Bairnsdale service 

Mr INGRAM (Gippsland East) -- In light of the high priority the government
gives to restoring rail services to regional Victoria and the widespread
recognition that the withdrawal of passenger services to Bairnsdale was
both damaging and unjustified, will the Minister for Transport inform the
house when the passenger service to Bairnsdale will recommence?

Mr Ryan interjected.

Mr BATCHELOR (Minister for Transport) -- Don't you want it to come back?
You're representing Gippsland! The National Party, not being satisfied
with closing it down, is now trying to undermine a proper re-evaluation of
this important community project. The National Party will never learn,
will it?

Honourable members interjecting.

Mr BATCHELOR -- In 1993 the Kennett government closed five rail passenger
lines, including rail services to Ararat, Mildura, Leongatha, Bairnsdale
and Cobram. In most of those cases -- at least four out of five -- the
decision to replace those rail services was strongly opposed by the local
community.

As part of its election platform the Bracks government is committed to
reviewing the rail services closed by the Kennett government.

In the case of Bairnsdale the local operator, National Express, has
completed a feasibility study recommending the return of passenger train
services. That study, which is currently before the government, raised
several important issues. Firstly, the 69 kilometres of track between Sale
and Bairnsdale is in a very poor condition as a result of neglect by the
Kennett government.

There are also problems with the 533-metre bridge over the Avon River at
Stratford. The consultants from National Express advise that $11.3 million
would need to be spent to reopen the line at a standard suitable for
passenger services. That amount would of course rise to around $14 million
if a new bridge had to be built at Stratford rather than the existing one
being repaired.

National Express has also considered options for the return of one or two
return services per day along the rail corridor. In its report National
Express estimates that the annual government subsidy would need to be
increased by up to $2.5 million per annum, depending on the number of
services to be provided.

A final decision on reopening the Bairnsdale line will be made within the
context of the review of all the closed lines and, of course, of the
government's budget process.

Mr Leigh -- On a point of order, Mr Speaker, given that the minister has
these secret reports, will he make them available in the parliamentary
library so all Victorians can see them?

The SPEAKER -- Order! There is no point of order. I will not permit the
honourable member for Mordialloc to ask a further question in the guise of
taking a point of order.

Mr BATCHELOR -- Any decision to reopen passenger lines will of course
depend on a range of factors, including patronage levels, the cost to the
government, comparative travel times by bus and the impact on regional
economies. We are studying all those issues, and we will take all of those
factors into account.

I congratulate the local community, in particular Liz Monroe, who has been
secretary of the Save the Train group for a long time, and the member for
Gippsland East, for showing such passion, commitment and determination to
keep this issue alive.

The Bracks government's decision to review the closure of the rail lines
is an important part of its election commitment. We will do it thoroughly,
and when we have concluded the process we will make the information
available to all members of the community.