Ms SPENCE (Yuroke) — I direct my adjournment matter to the Minister for Public Transport. The action I seek from the minister is an update on any plans to address the car parking shortage at Craigieburn station. Both before and after the election residents have frequently raised this problem with me. There are only 267 parking spaces at Craigieburn, but a significantly higher number of residents seek to use the station on a daily basis. This poses a significant problem for locals to access public transport services for work, study and leisure, with many now parking a significant distance away or forgoing the use of public transport altogether and pushing more traffic onto our increasingly congested local roads.

The insufficient number of parking spaces is compounded by two additional factors: the additional patronage from suburbs further north, as Craigieburn is the last station on the line, and the rapid residential growth in the Craigieburn area. Craigieburn is growing at a massive rate and has become a community of choice for many new families, and we need to ensure that services and infrastructure remain appropriate for the ever-increasing population.

Residents in Craigieburn are hopeful that the Andrews government will provide a lasting solution to this problem, given that it was the previous Labor government that recognised the need to electrify the line from Broadmeadows to Craigieburn. By contrast, the Liberal government was made aware of the need by my predecessor, by Public Transport Victoria, by Hume City Council and by residents, but rather than supporting this growing community, the Liberal government did nothing. During the four years of that government the community faced significant population growth, and instead of recognising this growth and the need for a strong public transport system, the government cut bus services and left rail commuters in the lurch.

I ask that the minister provide information to my community on any plans for parking at Craigieburn station under an Andrews government that is getting on with delivering for Melbourne’s growth areas.