When it comes to the Warrnambool line, it’s a tale of two parties.
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The Labor Party – who saved the line, boosted services and is delivering the biggest upgrade of the corridor in history.
And the National Party – who’s neglect and funding cuts put the very future of services to Warrnambool at risk.
Two decades ago the Nationals worked hand in glove with the Kennett Liberal Government to privatise the Warrnambool line – a move that saw services deteriorate and almost cease.
The Bracks Labor Government saved the Warrnambool service, invested in new rolling stock and returned it to VLine.
When the Liberals and Nationals returned to government in 2010 so did the cuts, neglect and spectre of privatisation – with rumours the Liberals wanted to hand VLine over to Metro Trains Melbourne to run the regional train network.
Despite the community calling for new trains and more services, the two local Members at the time – who also happened to be the then Liberal Premier and Public Transport Minister – continued the Coalition’s tradition of underinvestment in Warrnambool services.
Since we were elected, we’ve ordered 87 more Vlocity carriages, with more committed at the election, and we’ve started work on design modifications so they can run on long-haul routes like Warrnambool in the future.
We’ve also started work on the $114 million Warrnambool Line Upgrade, which will pave the way for modern VLocity carriages to run all the way to Warrnambool for the first time.
The document the Liberal Nationals circulated on Wednesday only outlined some of the works necessary as part of our upgrade – those needed to enable a fifth return service and reduce delays.
It’s not all the work required to bring VLocity carriages to Warrnambool, but it does not mean that that work will not be done – it will be, by an Andrews Labor Government.
Work on the Warrnambool Line Upgrade is already underway, with major construction scheduled to begin by the end of the year and targeted completion date of late 2020.
Only Labor invests in regional rail, and only Labor will deliver VLocity carriages to Warrnambool.
*Jacinta Allan is the state's Transport Infrastructure Minister
