Tuesday, 30 August 2022

Eastern Metropolitan Region

Dr BACH (Eastern Metropolitan) (12:22): (1946) My question is for the Minister for Public Transport. Will the minister urgently fund necessary safety and accessibility upgrades at Heidelberg station? I recently visited Heidelberg station and inspected that station with the Liberal candidate for Ivanhoe, Bernadette Khoury, and I found that since I last was at Heidelberg station it has fallen into a shocking state of disrepair. That station is used by any number of people who are sick, who have injuries or who have accessibility problems, because it is right opposite a major health precinct. There are a whole range of things that I would love to discuss if time permitted, but just one or two examples. The platforms do not even have tactile edges. That must be changed as a matter of priority. There is no lift. The ramps are far too steep. These are all things that I am advised mean that this station is not even in line with the government’s own obligations under federal disability discrimination law. The minister needs to urgently fund upgrades at Heidelberg station so the many people who use that station can have a fair go, in particular to access those health services.