Trains a hot topic at Vic parliament opens

Transport is a major focus as the Victorian parliament resumes on Tuesday with V/Line, port leasing and rail crossing removal on the agenda.

Transport will be high on the agenda when Victorian parliament resumes for 2016.

Regional rail commuters have endured a long summer of cancellations and altered timetables as V/Line grapples with a wheel-wearing issue on VLocity trains that has forced urgent repairs.

It's also investigating why a VLocity train failed to trigger a boom gate on a suburban section of the Gippsland line.

A parliamentary inquiry into V/Line disruptions begins on Tuesday.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan is now also dealing with a backlash from locals who say they weren't properly consulted about a $1.6 billion plan to raise almost 9km of the Cranbourne-Pakenham line to remove nine level crossings.

Victoria's ombudsman, Deborah Glass, has asked the Supreme Court if her office has the power to investigate allegations some Labor MPs misused taxpayer-funded electorate allowances to hire extra staff to bolster the 2014 election campaign.

Mr Andrews has repeatedly denied the allegations.

The government will also move to pass legislation this month allowing a trial of medicinal cannabis in Victoria.

And it will try to push ahead with legislation to allow the lease of the Port of Melbourne to fund its promised removal of 50 level crossings.

Police minister Wade Noonan has taken leave to have counselling after being exposed to "unspeakable crimes" in his role.


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Source: AAP


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