A PASSENGER train service linking Mildura to Melbourne would cost “peanuts” and would be profitable “almost immediately”, according to the Liberal Democrats Member for Northern Victoria.
Tim Quilty said on Friday a report from the Parliamentary Budget Office revealed a service from Mildura to Maryborough, linking up with Melbourne-bound trains, would cost just $22 million over three years from 2020-21 to 2023-24.
He said that would be a small price to pay compared to billions of dollars for transport expenditure in and around Melbourne announced in this year’s State Budget.
“It’s peanuts — the people of Mildura just want a rail service, and now we know we can deliver it without breaking the budget,” Mr Quilty said.
“The Liberal Democrats don’t often call for more government expenditure, but we support the development of sensible infrastructure.
“A new train service would be a boon to tourism in northern Victoria and give us tremendous bang for our buck.”
Mr Quilty commissioned the report to cost a shuttle service running three times a week from Mildura to Maryborough and connecting with existing Melbourne services.
The costing includes regauging an existing train for the standard gauge line and upgrading shuttered stations at Ouyen, Woomelang, Birchip, Donald and St Arnaud.
“To put this in perspective, the total amount announced this year for fast trains to Geelong was roughly 100 times more,” Mr Quilty said.
“Money allocated to Melbourne trams this year was 70 times more.
“This will be a huge shot in the arm for northern and western Victoria and reintroduce a great train journey.
“We are tired of Labor governments who only seem to govern for Melbourne.
“If they will not support this idea, it will be another reason for Rexit – our plans for a new regional state.”
Mr Quilty said previous costings claiming the project was not viable were not just gold-plated, but apparently solid-gold solutions.
“I am already working with independent Mildura MP Ali Cupper to push this and I plan to build an alliance of northern and western Victorian MPs who will together bring trains back to the Mildura line,” Mr Quilty said.
A government spokesperson said V/Line operated more than 50 coach services a week to or from Mildura, which connected to Ballarat and Bendigo train lines as well as further connections to Albury and Geelong.
“Unlike the Liberal-National government that cut passenger services to regional Victoria, including to Mildura, the Andrews Labor Government has invested in regional passenger services on both coaches and trains — adding more than 740 V/Line services every week across the state,” the spokesperson said.
“We’re focused on delivering the next set of works for the Murray Basin Rail Project in Victoria’s north-west — providing the certainty our farmers and freight operators need, and getting more freight off roads and on to rail.”
The Mildura passenger train service ended in September 1993 under the Kennett Government.
