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The Advertiser
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Premier denies ticketless fares revamp is off the rails
Some commuters will be waiting even longer to tap on to public transport with phones and credit cards but a premier says the system overhaul is all going to plan. Buried within Tuesday's 2025/26 Victorian budget, the Allan Labor government revealed an upgrade of the state's myki system would be delivered over time and budget. It was announced in February train passengers would be able to travel with bank cards and their phones from 2026, with 22,000 myki readers to be replaced across the network. But the budget papers showed the replacement ticket reader program will take up to 18 months longer to finish and cost an extra $137 million. The project was originally costed at $543.6 million but the figure has blown out to $680.4 million following a "program reset". The completion date has also shifted from mid-2027 to late 2028 after the finalisation of ticketing reader design requirements for some trams. The myki system began to be rolled out in 2007 but was beset with million-dollar cost blowouts and system issues. Android users have been able to tap on and off for travel on the network since 2019 but iPhones and credit cards cannot be used. After a failed $1 million trial to find a solution, New Jersey-based company Conduent was awarded $1.7 billion to overhaul and operate the system for the next 15 years. Quizzed on the program speed bump on Wednesday, Premier Jacinta Allan said 50 per cent of people used Android phones and claimed it was "always going to be a staged roll out". "The trials are already under way right now and the work will be rolled out next year," she told reporters. "Indeed, for many Victorians, you can already use your phone." The Opal system in NSW has allowed all public transport passengers to tap on and off with their bank card or their phone since 2019 and ticketless travel is available on most of Queensland's network. New York, London, Singapore, Hong Kong and other major international cities also have digitalised fares. Opposition public transport spokesman Matthew Guy said the delay was yet another embarrassment for the government and inconvenience for long-suffering commuters. "The fact that the Victorian government still can't deliver this in Melbourne is astounding," he said. Treasurer Jaclyn Symes started to sell her "responsible" budget on Wednesday after a mixed response from industry, peak bodies and the public. Her first budget spruiked a $2.3 billion cost-of-living package, record health spending, no new taxes and a return to a $600 million operating surplus next financial year. Ms Symes gave an iron-clad guarantee the surplus would be realised, despite shrinking $1 billion since December. "Yes," she replied when asked if the surplus would survive at an annual post-budget lunch hosted by the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Melbourne Press Club. Victoria's net debt is on track to hit $194 billion by 2028/29, sending interest repayments soaring close to $29 million a day. The treasurer said the majority of the debt was either "productive" or "necessary" because it came from infrastructure spending or keeping the state afloat during COVID-19. Ms Symes wasn't promising tax reform for businesses, including to the $31.5 million COVID-19 levy. With a budget behind her, the treasurer will fly to New York at the start of June for a trade mission that includes meetings with credit ratings agencies. Victoria's credit rating was downgraded by S&P and Moody's during the pandemic but both class the state's outlook as stable. Some commuters will be waiting even longer to tap on to public transport with phones and credit cards but a premier says the system overhaul is all going to plan. Buried within Tuesday's 2025/26 Victorian budget, the Allan Labor government revealed an upgrade of the state's myki system would be delivered over time and budget. It was announced in February train passengers would be able to travel with bank cards and their phones from 2026, with 22,000 myki readers to be replaced across the network. But the budget papers showed the replacement ticket reader program will take up to 18 months longer to finish and cost an extra $137 million. The project was originally costed at $543.6 million but the figure has blown out to $680.4 million following a "program reset". The completion date has also shifted from mid-2027 to late 2028 after the finalisation of ticketing reader design requirements for some trams. The myki system began to be rolled out in 2007 but was beset with million-dollar cost blowouts and system issues. Android users have been able to tap on and off for travel on the network since 2019 but iPhones and credit cards cannot be used. After a failed $1 million trial to find a solution, New Jersey-based company Conduent was awarded $1.7 billion to overhaul and operate the system for the next 15 years. Quizzed on the program speed bump on Wednesday, Premier Jacinta Allan said 50 per cent of people used Android phones and claimed it was "always going to be a staged roll out". "The trials are already under way right now and the work will be rolled out next year," she told reporters. "Indeed, for many Victorians, you can already use your phone." The Opal system in NSW has allowed all public transport passengers to tap on and off with their bank card or their phone since 2019 and ticketless travel is available on most of Queensland's network. New York, London, Singapore, Hong Kong and other major international cities also have digitalised fares. Opposition public transport spokesman Matthew Guy said the delay was yet another embarrassment for the government and inconvenience for long-suffering commuters. "The fact that the Victorian government still can't deliver this in Melbourne is astounding," he said. Treasurer Jaclyn Symes started to sell her "responsible" budget on Wednesday after a mixed response from industry, peak bodies and the public. Her first budget spruiked a $2.3 billion cost-of-living package, record health spending, no new taxes and a return to a $600 million operating surplus next financial year. Ms Symes gave an iron-clad guarantee the surplus would be realised, despite shrinking $1 billion since December. "Yes," she replied when asked if the surplus would survive at an annual post-budget lunch hosted by the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Melbourne Press Club. Victoria's net debt is on track to hit $194 billion by 2028/29, sending interest repayments soaring close to $29 million a day. The treasurer said the majority of the debt was either "productive" or "necessary" because it came from infrastructure spending or keeping the state afloat during COVID-19. Ms Symes wasn't promising tax reform for businesses, including to the $31.5 million COVID-19 levy. With a budget behind her, the treasurer will fly to New York at the start of June for a trade mission that includes meetings with credit ratings agencies. Victoria's credit rating was downgraded by S&P and Moody's during the pandemic but both class the state's outlook as stable. Some commuters will be waiting even longer to tap on to public transport with phones and credit cards but a premier says the system overhaul is all going to plan. Buried within Tuesday's 2025/26 Victorian budget, the Allan Labor government revealed an upgrade of the state's myki system would be delivered over time and budget. It was announced in February train passengers would be able to travel with bank cards and their phones from 2026, with 22,000 myki readers to be replaced across the network. But the budget papers showed the replacement ticket reader program will take up to 18 months longer to finish and cost an extra $137 million. The project was originally costed at $543.6 million but the figure has blown out to $680.4 million following a "program reset". The completion date has also shifted from mid-2027 to late 2028 after the finalisation of ticketing reader design requirements for some trams. The myki system began to be rolled out in 2007 but was beset with million-dollar cost blowouts and system issues. Android users have been able to tap on and off for travel on the network since 2019 but iPhones and credit cards cannot be used. After a failed $1 million trial to find a solution, New Jersey-based company Conduent was awarded $1.7 billion to overhaul and operate the system for the next 15 years. Quizzed on the program speed bump on Wednesday, Premier Jacinta Allan said 50 per cent of people used Android phones and claimed it was "always going to be a staged roll out". "The trials are already under way right now and the work will be rolled out next year," she told reporters. "Indeed, for many Victorians, you can already use your phone." The Opal system in NSW has allowed all public transport passengers to tap on and off with their bank card or their phone since 2019 and ticketless travel is available on most of Queensland's network. New York, London, Singapore, Hong Kong and other major international cities also have digitalised fares. Opposition public transport spokesman Matthew Guy said the delay was yet another embarrassment for the government and inconvenience for long-suffering commuters. "The fact that the Victorian government still can't deliver this in Melbourne is astounding," he said. Treasurer Jaclyn Symes started to sell her "responsible" budget on Wednesday after a mixed response from industry, peak bodies and the public. Her first budget spruiked a $2.3 billion cost-of-living package, record health spending, no new taxes and a return to a $600 million operating surplus next financial year. Ms Symes gave an iron-clad guarantee the surplus would be realised, despite shrinking $1 billion since December. "Yes," she replied when asked if the surplus would survive at an annual post-budget lunch hosted by the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Melbourne Press Club. Victoria's net debt is on track to hit $194 billion by 2028/29, sending interest repayments soaring close to $29 million a day. The treasurer said the majority of the debt was either "productive" or "necessary" because it came from infrastructure spending or keeping the state afloat during COVID-19. Ms Symes wasn't promising tax reform for businesses, including to the $31.5 million COVID-19 levy. With a budget behind her, the treasurer will fly to New York at the start of June for a trade mission that includes meetings with credit ratings agencies. Victoria's credit rating was downgraded by S&P and Moody's during the pandemic but both class the state's outlook as stable. Some commuters will be waiting even longer to tap on to public transport with phones and credit cards but a premier says the system overhaul is all going to plan. Buried within Tuesday's 2025/26 Victorian budget, the Allan Labor government revealed an upgrade of the state's myki system would be delivered over time and budget. It was announced in February train passengers would be able to travel with bank cards and their phones from 2026, with 22,000 myki readers to be replaced across the network. But the budget papers showed the replacement ticket reader program will take up to 18 months longer to finish and cost an extra $137 million. The project was originally costed at $543.6 million but the figure has blown out to $680.4 million following a "program reset". The completion date has also shifted from mid-2027 to late 2028 after the finalisation of ticketing reader design requirements for some trams. The myki system began to be rolled out in 2007 but was beset with million-dollar cost blowouts and system issues. Android users have been able to tap on and off for travel on the network since 2019 but iPhones and credit cards cannot be used. After a failed $1 million trial to find a solution, New Jersey-based company Conduent was awarded $1.7 billion to overhaul and operate the system for the next 15 years. Quizzed on the program speed bump on Wednesday, Premier Jacinta Allan said 50 per cent of people used Android phones and claimed it was "always going to be a staged roll out". "The trials are already under way right now and the work will be rolled out next year," she told reporters. "Indeed, for many Victorians, you can already use your phone." The Opal system in NSW has allowed all public transport passengers to tap on and off with their bank card or their phone since 2019 and ticketless travel is available on most of Queensland's network. New York, London, Singapore, Hong Kong and other major international cities also have digitalised fares. Opposition public transport spokesman Matthew Guy said the delay was yet another embarrassment for the government and inconvenience for long-suffering commuters. "The fact that the Victorian government still can't deliver this in Melbourne is astounding," he said. Treasurer Jaclyn Symes started to sell her "responsible" budget on Wednesday after a mixed response from industry, peak bodies and the public. Her first budget spruiked a $2.3 billion cost-of-living package, record health spending, no new taxes and a return to a $600 million operating surplus next financial year. Ms Symes gave an iron-clad guarantee the surplus would be realised, despite shrinking $1 billion since December. "Yes," she replied when asked if the surplus would survive at an annual post-budget lunch hosted by the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Melbourne Press Club. Victoria's net debt is on track to hit $194 billion by 2028/29, sending interest repayments soaring close to $29 million a day. The treasurer said the majority of the debt was either "productive" or "necessary" because it came from infrastructure spending or keeping the state afloat during COVID-19. Ms Symes wasn't promising tax reform for businesses, including to the $31.5 million COVID-19 levy. With a budget behind her, the treasurer will fly to New York at the start of June for a trade mission that includes meetings with credit ratings agencies. Victoria's credit rating was downgraded by S&P and Moody's during the pandemic but both class the state's outlook as stable.
The Advertiser
12-05-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Train cash splash in budget amid state's tunnel vision
Hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent to run trains through Melbourne's long-awaited second rail tunnel. Victorians got their first sneak peek into the 2025/26 state budget on Monday, with Premier Jacinta Allan announcing it would contain an extra $727 million for the $15 billion Metro Tunnel. The cash injection will go towards switching on the twin 9km tunnels later in 2025 and delivering turn-up-and-go services for the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. Metro Tunnel was originally costed at $10.9 billion when announced in the 2016 budget. The price tag for taxpayers has grown to $13.48 billion and the total project cost beyond $15 billion after an $837 million blowout was confirmed in September. But the premier insists the extra $727 million in funding does not amount to another cost overrun as it is for service delivery. "We've made the capital investment ... to get to the point where we can now in this year's budget fund the services," she told reporters on Monday. A further $98.7 million will be set aside to deliver more frequent services for passengers on other lines under a "public transport blitz" worth almost $5 billion. Major construction on new underground stations for Metro Tunnel has been completed at Parkville, Arden and Anzac. With Town Hall or State Library stations unfinished, the government remains tight-lipped on an exact opening date. Opposition public transport spokesman Matthew Guy labelled the Metro Tunnel cash splash "government spin". "For that money we could have built two brand-new hospitals ... we probably could have built around three dozen schools," he said. "But instead the government boasts about switching on infrastructure." Ms Allan also spruiked her government bringing forward $2 billion to redevelop Sunshine Station as part of the first stage of building a rail line from the city to Melbourne Airport. In 2018, the state and federal governments promised $5 billion each to build the link, which at the time was expected to cost between $8 billion and $13 billion. Victoria pushed back its completion date until at least 2033 in the last state budget amid a dispute with Melbourne Airport over station design. The airport backed down following the intervention of an independent mediator, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earmarking an extra $2 billion in federal funding to get the wheels turning on the project again. Jaclyn Symes will hand down her first budget as Victorian treasurer on May 20 after replacing Tim Pallas, who retired in December after 10 years managing the state's books. She has ordered an independent review into the Victorian public service as the government looks to cut up to 3000 jobs to curb its rising wage bill. Victoria's net debt is on track to hit $187.8 billion by mid-2028, pushing up interest expenses to $9.4 billion annually. Hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent to run trains through Melbourne's long-awaited second rail tunnel. Victorians got their first sneak peek into the 2025/26 state budget on Monday, with Premier Jacinta Allan announcing it would contain an extra $727 million for the $15 billion Metro Tunnel. The cash injection will go towards switching on the twin 9km tunnels later in 2025 and delivering turn-up-and-go services for the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. Metro Tunnel was originally costed at $10.9 billion when announced in the 2016 budget. The price tag for taxpayers has grown to $13.48 billion and the total project cost beyond $15 billion after an $837 million blowout was confirmed in September. But the premier insists the extra $727 million in funding does not amount to another cost overrun as it is for service delivery. "We've made the capital investment ... to get to the point where we can now in this year's budget fund the services," she told reporters on Monday. A further $98.7 million will be set aside to deliver more frequent services for passengers on other lines under a "public transport blitz" worth almost $5 billion. Major construction on new underground stations for Metro Tunnel has been completed at Parkville, Arden and Anzac. With Town Hall or State Library stations unfinished, the government remains tight-lipped on an exact opening date. Opposition public transport spokesman Matthew Guy labelled the Metro Tunnel cash splash "government spin". "For that money we could have built two brand-new hospitals ... we probably could have built around three dozen schools," he said. "But instead the government boasts about switching on infrastructure." Ms Allan also spruiked her government bringing forward $2 billion to redevelop Sunshine Station as part of the first stage of building a rail line from the city to Melbourne Airport. In 2018, the state and federal governments promised $5 billion each to build the link, which at the time was expected to cost between $8 billion and $13 billion. Victoria pushed back its completion date until at least 2033 in the last state budget amid a dispute with Melbourne Airport over station design. The airport backed down following the intervention of an independent mediator, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earmarking an extra $2 billion in federal funding to get the wheels turning on the project again. Jaclyn Symes will hand down her first budget as Victorian treasurer on May 20 after replacing Tim Pallas, who retired in December after 10 years managing the state's books. She has ordered an independent review into the Victorian public service as the government looks to cut up to 3000 jobs to curb its rising wage bill. Victoria's net debt is on track to hit $187.8 billion by mid-2028, pushing up interest expenses to $9.4 billion annually. Hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent to run trains through Melbourne's long-awaited second rail tunnel. Victorians got their first sneak peek into the 2025/26 state budget on Monday, with Premier Jacinta Allan announcing it would contain an extra $727 million for the $15 billion Metro Tunnel. The cash injection will go towards switching on the twin 9km tunnels later in 2025 and delivering turn-up-and-go services for the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. Metro Tunnel was originally costed at $10.9 billion when announced in the 2016 budget. The price tag for taxpayers has grown to $13.48 billion and the total project cost beyond $15 billion after an $837 million blowout was confirmed in September. But the premier insists the extra $727 million in funding does not amount to another cost overrun as it is for service delivery. "We've made the capital investment ... to get to the point where we can now in this year's budget fund the services," she told reporters on Monday. A further $98.7 million will be set aside to deliver more frequent services for passengers on other lines under a "public transport blitz" worth almost $5 billion. Major construction on new underground stations for Metro Tunnel has been completed at Parkville, Arden and Anzac. With Town Hall or State Library stations unfinished, the government remains tight-lipped on an exact opening date. Opposition public transport spokesman Matthew Guy labelled the Metro Tunnel cash splash "government spin". "For that money we could have built two brand-new hospitals ... we probably could have built around three dozen schools," he said. "But instead the government boasts about switching on infrastructure." Ms Allan also spruiked her government bringing forward $2 billion to redevelop Sunshine Station as part of the first stage of building a rail line from the city to Melbourne Airport. In 2018, the state and federal governments promised $5 billion each to build the link, which at the time was expected to cost between $8 billion and $13 billion. Victoria pushed back its completion date until at least 2033 in the last state budget amid a dispute with Melbourne Airport over station design. The airport backed down following the intervention of an independent mediator, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earmarking an extra $2 billion in federal funding to get the wheels turning on the project again. Jaclyn Symes will hand down her first budget as Victorian treasurer on May 20 after replacing Tim Pallas, who retired in December after 10 years managing the state's books. She has ordered an independent review into the Victorian public service as the government looks to cut up to 3000 jobs to curb its rising wage bill. Victoria's net debt is on track to hit $187.8 billion by mid-2028, pushing up interest expenses to $9.4 billion annually. Hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent to run trains through Melbourne's long-awaited second rail tunnel. Victorians got their first sneak peek into the 2025/26 state budget on Monday, with Premier Jacinta Allan announcing it would contain an extra $727 million for the $15 billion Metro Tunnel. The cash injection will go towards switching on the twin 9km tunnels later in 2025 and delivering turn-up-and-go services for the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. Metro Tunnel was originally costed at $10.9 billion when announced in the 2016 budget. The price tag for taxpayers has grown to $13.48 billion and the total project cost beyond $15 billion after an $837 million blowout was confirmed in September. But the premier insists the extra $727 million in funding does not amount to another cost overrun as it is for service delivery. "We've made the capital investment ... to get to the point where we can now in this year's budget fund the services," she told reporters on Monday. A further $98.7 million will be set aside to deliver more frequent services for passengers on other lines under a "public transport blitz" worth almost $5 billion. Major construction on new underground stations for Metro Tunnel has been completed at Parkville, Arden and Anzac. With Town Hall or State Library stations unfinished, the government remains tight-lipped on an exact opening date. Opposition public transport spokesman Matthew Guy labelled the Metro Tunnel cash splash "government spin". "For that money we could have built two brand-new hospitals ... we probably could have built around three dozen schools," he said. "But instead the government boasts about switching on infrastructure." Ms Allan also spruiked her government bringing forward $2 billion to redevelop Sunshine Station as part of the first stage of building a rail line from the city to Melbourne Airport. In 2018, the state and federal governments promised $5 billion each to build the link, which at the time was expected to cost between $8 billion and $13 billion. Victoria pushed back its completion date until at least 2033 in the last state budget amid a dispute with Melbourne Airport over station design. The airport backed down following the intervention of an independent mediator, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earmarking an extra $2 billion in federal funding to get the wheels turning on the project again. Jaclyn Symes will hand down her first budget as Victorian treasurer on May 20 after replacing Tim Pallas, who retired in December after 10 years managing the state's books. She has ordered an independent review into the Victorian public service as the government looks to cut up to 3000 jobs to curb its rising wage bill. Victoria's net debt is on track to hit $187.8 billion by mid-2028, pushing up interest expenses to $9.4 billion annually.
Perth Now
12-05-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
Train cash splash in budget amid state's tunnel vision
Hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent to run trains through Melbourne's long-awaited second rail tunnel. Victorians got their first sneak peek into the 2025/26 state budget on Monday, with Premier Jacinta Allan announcing it would contain an extra $727 million for the $15 billion Metro Tunnel. The cash injection will go towards switching on the twin 9km tunnels later in 2025 and delivering turn-up-and-go services for the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. Metro Tunnel was originally costed at $10.9 billion when announced in the 2016 budget. The price tag for taxpayers has grown to $13.48 billion and the total project cost beyond $15 billion after an $837 million blowout was confirmed in September. But the premier insists the extra $727 million in funding does not amount to another cost overrun as it is for service delivery. "We've made the capital investment ... to get to the point where we can now in this year's budget fund the services," she told reporters on Monday. A further $98.7 million will be set aside to deliver more frequent services for passengers on other lines under a "public transport blitz" worth almost $5 billion. Major construction on new underground stations for Metro Tunnel has been completed at Parkville, Arden and Anzac. With Town Hall or State Library stations unfinished, the government remains tight-lipped on an exact opening date. Opposition public transport spokesman Matthew Guy labelled the Metro Tunnel cash splash "government spin". "For that money we could have built two brand-new hospitals ... we probably could have built around three dozen schools," he said. "But instead the government boasts about switching on infrastructure." Ms Allan also spruiked her government bringing forward $2 billion to redevelop Sunshine Station as part of the first stage of building a rail line from the city to Melbourne Airport. In 2018, the state and federal governments promised $5 billion each to build the link, which at the time was expected to cost between $8 billion and $13 billion. Victoria pushed back its completion date until at least 2033 in the last state budget amid a dispute with Melbourne Airport over station design. The airport backed down following the intervention of an independent mediator, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earmarking an extra $2 billion in federal funding to get the wheels turning on the project again. Jaclyn Symes will hand down her first budget as Victorian treasurer on May 20 after replacing Tim Pallas, who retired in December after 10 years managing the state's books. She has ordered an independent review into the Victorian public service as the government looks to cut up to 3000 jobs to curb its rising wage bill. Victoria's net debt is on track to hit $187.8 billion by mid-2028, pushing up interest expenses to $9.4 billion annually.
