Tuesday, 18 February 2025

 Nick McGOWAN (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (18:10): (1416) In the coming days thousands of 17- and 18-year-olds will for the first time map out their route to their new university. One such individual is a young 18-year-old by the name of Lilly Cascun. Lilly Cascun did exceptionally well, achieving a 98.6 ATAR last year, and will study science at Melbourne University. Lilly has also just recently been on air because, unlike very many other students who will be going to university and making their way there, Lilly is one of the hundreds if not thousands of Victorians who have either low vision or are blind. The difference with Lilly is that she cannot use her local train station. She cannot use her local train station because the tactile ground surface indicators are not present at her local station. Her local station is Ivanhoe. The one after that is Heidelberg. Those tactile ground surface indicators are also absent at Heidelberg.

For laypeople like me, what I am actually referring to are those little yellow dots. When you approach a train, you may see on the ground that there are those little yellow dots. Those dots are absolutely critical for low vision and blind Victorians because they help keep them safe. Lisa, who is Lilly’s mum, along with Lilly and their family are advocating that right across Victoria this state get on board – and we mean that in many ways. Of the 222 train stations along the Metro system, 196 have tactile ground surface indicators. That means that some 26 Metro train stations do not have tactile ground surface indicators. That is a significant barrier not only for Lilly but for anyone of low vision or anyone who is blind. Lilly has approached her local member, Mr Carbines in the other place. Lilly has approached the minister. The minister has sent Lilly and her family back to Metro. Metro advised:

Ivanhoe train station is equipped with staff, who can assist passengers with their journey from the first train service in the morning, to the last service at night.

That is little comfort. Metro also advised them that if Lilly seeks assistance she can call Ivanhoe station, and the call should be made at least 10 minutes prior to departure as a staff member may require 5 minutes to walk Lilly to the platform. This is not enabling Lilly. This is not enabling any Victorian who is blind or has low vision. It is not what we ought to expect. The current target for the implementation of these yellow dots at stations is the year 2032. I urge the government to bring that forward.