A History of Dealing with the Government.

February 22
I found out that our train, the 6:15pm inter city to Shepparton, was going to be combined with the Seymour 6:33pm commuter service, departing at 6:33pm and stopping all stations to Seymour starting on March 4.
I was devastated to think that an extra half hour would be added to an already exhausting trip and we would be lurching from station to station until Seymour. Everyone I spoke to on the train felt the same way. We just couldn’t believe it.

February 26
I kicked off with emails to Premier Bracks and Minister Kosky plus an online submission to V/Line.

March 19
A letter from V/Line Customer Relations saying the service would not be restored at this time.

March 27
Eight V/Line managers travelled on the train to talk to the passengers due to the number of complaints. One of them suggested that my efforts would be better spent sending a petition direct to V/Line rather than having it tabled in parliament, as was my plan.

March 28
Another letter from V/Line Customer Relations saying the service would not be restored at this time.

March 30
A letter from the Premier’s Department saying one of my emails had been forwarded to Minister Kosky by way of the Department of Infrastructure.

April 13
A letter from the Department of Infrastructure saying that V/Line had already responded to me and that if I felt dissatisfied with the results after all opportunity for direct resolution with V/Line had been exhausted I may wish to contact the Public Transport Ombudsman.

April 18
I sent a letter to the V/Line CEO requesting that our service be restored on behalf of 1054 of his customers.
[I had presented a petition with 1054 signatures the previous day to Mr Terry Mulder, Shadow Transport Minister and Hon Wendy Lovell, Member for Northern Victoria. Mr Mulder tabled the petition in the Legislative Assembly on April 19.]

April 24
A letter from the V/Line CEO saying the service would not be restored at this time.

April 27
A phone call from the office of the Public Transport Ombudsman advising me that V/Line had no power over timetables, only the government could change them and the PTO could therefore not take action. The officer suggested that I contact the Department of Infrastructure. Refer April 13.

I spent two months following this labyrinthine path only to end up where I started – with a Minister who doesn’t want to run a railway system and doesn’t want to hear our complaints.
A cynic might say this whole process is designed to make any sane person give up. I believe the government must be held accountable and must not be allowed to provide a sub standard rail service to regional Victorians.

Today
The campaign continues. I still believe that people power can make a difference.

Mary Shaddix