On 15 May I had the pleasure of representing the Minister for Community
Development in the other place to officially launch new public transport
services for Timboon, Cobden and Camperdown. The Brumby Labor government’s
Getting There and Back program has improved the local public transport
timetables in Timboon, Cobden and Camperdown which will help young people,
senior citizens, people with a disability and others without access to a car to
more easily access community facilities, essential services, education,
employment and social activities.
The funding for the Getting There and Back program comes from
the Brumby government’s $18.3 million Transport Connections program, which I
have often mentioned in this house, as I am an avid fan of the program.
It helps communities across all rural, regional and interface
areas develop local solutions for areas where public transport is lacking. As
well as helping people to get around locally, this newly expanded service meets
all Melbourne and Warrnambool-bound passenger train services in Camperdown, as
well as providing extra connections between Cobden and Timboon. Corangamite
shire’s transport connections facilitator, Garry Moorfield, said in a recent
newspaper article that during the first two months of the service the patronage
had doubled.
I would also like to acknowledge the involvement in the
consultation on the new timetable of Progressing Cobden and Timboon Action, as
well as community organisations like Probus, Rotary, the Country Women’s
Association, local schools, health services and the football netball clubs. I
particularly thank Garry Moorfield for his dedication.
