Deputy Victorian Liberal leader David Southwick has slammed the state government after it shut down three major train lines over one of the busiest weekends of the year.
Millions are descending on Melbourne for the Australian F1 Grand Prix at Albert Park, Collingwood and St Kilda at the MCG, and the iconic Moomba festival.
But critical maintenance works have thrown the city into chaos, with buses replacing trains on the Alamein, Lilydale, and Belgrave lines.
V/Line the purveyors of perpetual train chaos have also shut down the Bendigo, Swan Hill and Echuca Lines. The Swan Hill Line has suffered immensely in recent times from poor management.
Mr Southwick branded the fiasco “a joke” and stressed that the state government needs to take stronger action to keep events in the city.
David Southwick branded the fiasco “a joke” and stressed that the state government needs to take stronger action to keep events in the city.
“We’re the events capital, this is a great weekend to be in Melbourne, Grand Prix, footy starting, and Moomba. And they didn’t wake up to this,” Mr Southwick told Sky News host Steve Price.
“They’ve known that this has been happening on the calendar for 12 months. And we’re gonna cancel all of our train services. What a joke.
V/Line has interrupted the Bendigo Line several times over the past few months and has decided to shutdown a major set of rail lines at one of the busiest times of the year in Melbourne. The Opening round of the AFL season will also be affected.
“I mean, this government doesn’t get anything right. And again, it’s the poor old commuters who have to struggle to get there. Or to get around the city, because they just haven’t managed it right.
“No wonder we’re losing things, and we lost the MotoGP and other things as well. I love Victoria, but we’ve got to do a bit better than what we’re currently doing.”
With Sky News
No good for tourism and hospitality but bloody excellent for overtime penalty rates
Home invasions might decrease over shutdown period