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Hypocritical Minister Rejects Bus

The Nationals Member for Morwell Russell Northe has condemned the Brumby Government’s decision to reject a community proposal to continue the successful Latrobe Valley NightRider bus service.

By Russell Northe - 24th November 2009 - Back to News

Mr Northe said members of the Traralgon CBD Safety Committee expressed genuine disappointment at Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky’s decision to cancel services in the Latrobe Valley when they met this morning.

Speaking from the floor of Parliament last week, Mr Northe said the Minister’s decision was hypocritical given her support for the same service in Melbourne.

"Latrobe City Council has been told by the Department of Transport its application for funding to continue NightRider services has not been supported," Mr Northe said.

"The decision to reject the application is highly hypocritical given the Minister espouses the virtues of NightRider bus services in areas of metropolitan Melbourne, yet totally rejects any such notion in the Latrobe Valley.

"Her deputy director Sergio Lacchiana has been given the task of telling Latrobe Valley residents the service will not continue in our area because it is too expensive and not enough people used it.

"The approximate cost of continuing the service was $1000 a week – a pittance when you consider the enormous benefit to the community," Mr Northe said.

Yet in a letter to council, Mr Lacchiana said there was no evidence to suggest NightRider services benefited the wider community.

He said it was not appropriate to fund NightRider services ‘given the casual relationship between those serving alcohol and the antisocial behaviour arising from the consumption of alcohol’.

Mr Northe, a member of Traralgon CBD Safety Committee, said the trial of the NightRider service had garnered wide community support.

"The safety committee actively promoted safety on the bus by employing the services of a security officer," Mr Northe said.

"During the operation of the bus between March and August, more than 740 people caught the service between Traralgon’s CBD and Moe, Morwell and Churchill without incident.

"The service actually had a positive impact on increasing actual and perceived levels of safety and helped to quickly disperse crowds leaving venues.

"The government’s refusal to acknowledge the benefits of this service defies logic.

"I find it extremely disappointing that the Brumby Government is happy to spend $2.8 million on NightRider services in Melbourne, but refuses to spend one cent on regional NightRider services," Mr Northe said.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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