01 May 2026
Regional Victoria overlooked in Labor’s bus commitment
The Nationals Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland MP, says the Allan Labor Government’s latest public transport announcement has once again left regional communities behind, with no new investment for the Euroa electorate.
Labor’s nearly $100 million “Bus Bonanza” fails to deliver a single upgrade for towns across Euroa, despite ongoing concerns about overcrowded buses, limited services and a school bus network that is leaving students stranded.
Ms Cleeland said the omission was disappointing, but no longer surprising.
“Time and time again, we see big announcements that simply don’t reach our communities,” Ms Cleeland said.
“There’s plenty of talk about better connections and more services, but when you look at the detail, our region has been completely overlooked.”
Towns including Euroa, Benalla, Seymour, Kilmore and surrounding communities have received no commitments under the package.
“In Kilmore, the town connection bus to the train station four kilometres out of town remains completely inadequate, despite years of calling for it to be aligned with train timetables,” she said.
“This is a growth corridor, and our infrastructure should be keeping pace, not falling further behind.”
Ms Cleeland said the reality for local commuters remained unchanged.
“People are still dealing with infrequent buses, poor connections and services that don’t align with train timetables,” she said.
“That means getting to work, school or appointments becomes a daily challenge, and for many, public transport just isn’t a realistic option.”
Ms Cleeland said Labor’s claims of cost-of-living relief did not stack up for regional Victorians.
“You can’t talk about saving people money if they don’t have access to the service in the first place,” she said.
“This does nothing to ease pressure on families in our region.”
Ms Cleeland said the continued focus on metropolitan projects was widening the divide between city and country.
“This is a significant investment, but once again regional communities are expected to make do,” she said.
Ms Cleeland called on the Allan Labor Government to deliver practical improvements across the Euroa electorate, including increased bus frequency, expanded routes and better coordination with regional train services.
“People in our region aren’t asking for the world,” she said.
“They just want a transport system they can rely on.”