Article: Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula's had six months ...

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Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula's had six months but what's changed?

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula's had six months but what's changed?

    * Ashley Gardiner
    * From: Herald Sun
    * July 23, 2010 6:59PM

MARTIN Pakula passed the six-month milestone as Public Transport Minister this week.

What has changed? The trains are still late, myki is only about to begin on trams, and there has been a major blunder with the release of the Regional Rail Link route through Footscray.

Is he any better than his ineffectual predecessor, Lynne Kosky?

RMIT transport expert Paul Mees said it was no surprise nothing had changed.

"It would make a difference if we had a minister who was prepared to reform the transport department," Dr Mees said. "We haven't had a transport minister who has actually taken charge."

Politics, and the November election, was driving Mr Pakula's management instead of building a good transport system, a source said.

The departure of Ms Kosky - and Connex before her - has done little to quell commuter frustration that could spill to the ballot box.

Early on, Mr Pakula was keen to be seen travelling on the system often, in contrast to Ms Kosky's perceived aversion.

He has also studiously avoided the verbal blunders made by Ms Kosky that led to accusations of arrogance and being out of touch.

More recently, relations between Mr Pakula and Metro have cooled as the operator struggles to get the trains running on time.

Amid unprecedented scrutiny of the train system's performance, Metro is now publishing data daily.

Dr Mees said Mr Pakula had changed nothing left by Ms Kosky: "I've been racking my brains to think of a single decision he has made, and I can't. It's laziness. It's a lot of work to roll up your sleeves and reorganise things."

In an interview with the Herald Sun, Mr Pakula disputed the suggestion that nothing had changed under his administration.

"Changes, while they're occurring, can be a bit disruptive, and they all take time, but I think people are starting to see the benefit of the investment we are making," he said, and passengers were already getting a better service thanks to the new timetable introduced last month.