The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has called on the Minister for Public and Active Transport to urgently review V/Line procedures following the hospitalisation of an 84-year-old Mildura woman after a replacement bus journey to Melbourne.
Speaking in Parliament, Ms Benham said the experience of Mildura resident Kris Thornton exposed ongoing failures in the care of vulnerable passengers and broader neglect of regional Victorians.
Ms Thornton boarded a replacement coach service on March 18 expecting to transfer to rail at Swan Hill, only to be informed on arrival that the entire journey would instead be conducted by bus.
“For an 84-year-old woman with mobility issues to be left on a coach for nine hours with only a brief stop and no proper opportunity to access food or drink is unfathomable,” Ms Benham said.
Ms Benham said the notification process was entirely inadequate, with V/Line reportedly relying on a text message to advise passengers of the major service change.
“A text message is not an acceptable way to communicate major service changes to elderly and vulnerable passengers. This is a disgraceful failure of duty of care.”
Ms Thornton arrived in Melbourne dehydrated and suffering low blood sugar levels, requiring eight days in hospital.
Ms Benham said the case highlighted the need for stronger protections and more reliable communication standards for vulnerable and regional passengers using public transport services.
The situation also reinforced the long-standing need for a dedicated passenger rail service between Mildura and Melbourne.
“A passenger rail service between Mildura and Melbourne is long overdue and essential for a fair transport system across the state.”
