Question about Victorian government & PT in Melbourne

["Bradley Torr" <truenorth@one.net.au.SPAMTRAP>]

Hi,

I have a couple of questions regarding public transport policy and
legislation in Victoria, which I am sure the more politically interested
participants of this newsgroup could answer.

* The current party standings in the Legislative Assembly of the Victorian
Parliament are: ALP 44, LIB 35, NAT 6, IND 3 (for a total of 88 seats). Now
that the Liberal-National Coalition has been dissolved, it is possible for
the Labor Government to amend public transport legislation in the Lower
House with the support of at least one independent or the National Party.
However, the Legislative Council - the Upper House - is much trickier. The
current composition of the Upper House is ALP 14, LIB 24, NAT 6 with a
total of 44 seats. Even in the unlikely circumstance of the ALP and the
Nats joining forces, they still wouldn't have the strength of numbers to
pass a Bill into law. My question regarding this issue is thus - is the
current Bracks ALP Government only governing within the framework of the
legislation passed by Kennett? Has any legislation - not just legislation
relating to transportation - been passed since September 1999?

* What is the name of the Act of Parliament which gave Kennett's Government
the right to enter into contracts with private enterprise to provide public
transportation services to the Victorian travelling public? I would like to
read it in detail should I ever have the disposition.

* Can these contracts be amended during the term of the contract
unilaterally by the Bracks Government, or must the current Government wait
until the contracts (with ten year terms, if this writer recalls correctly)
have expired to impose new terms on the contract holders?

* Is it possible at all under the current public transport contract régime
to bring public transport services back into state ownership?

* Who is responsible for the policing of the contracts, and what can happen
if it is proven that a private public transport operator wilfully breached
its contract with the State Government?

Thanks to those who take the time to satiate my curiosity by answering
these questions. I would also like to compare public transport operating
régimes with those in other states, including mine (New South Wales).

Regards
BT