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To: Tdu Transportdownunder transportdownunder@...>
Sent: Monday, 15 April 2019, 14:21
Subject: Mon.25.3.19 daily digest

Roderick.
Mon.25.3.19 Metro twitter.
6.46 Glen Waverley line: Delays to 30 min (Huntingdale Rd rail over road bridge hit by an unidentified truck). The bridge needs to be checked for any damage; our bridge engineer has been dispatched.
- 7.21 Delays to 20 minutes after the Power Ave [no, Huntingdale Rd, 3.9 m clearance] rail over road bridge between Jordanville & Holmesglen was hit by an unidentified truck. The bridge has been checked, and is declared safe.
- 20 min? We’ve been stuck on the 6.25 for an hour.  You’re an absolute joke.
- 8.40 trains have returned to timetable.
8.28 Sandringham trains are running well with no known issues.
8.59 Craigieburn/Sunbury/Upfield lines: Minor delays (an equipment fault between Melbourne Southern Cross and North Melbourne).
- 9.18 clearing
9.42 Frankston line: Outbound delays to 10 minutes (debris stuck to the overhead wire at Toorak).
- 11.35 Minor delays (police near Carrum).
- 11.42 Delays to 10 min, clearing.
13.30 Pakenham line: Minor delays (police near Narre Warren).
- 13.33 clearing.
18.13 Minor delays (police near Werribee).
- 18.16 clearing.
18.20 Cranbourne line: Minor delays (police attending to a trespasser between Dandenong and Lynbrook).  Trains may [ie will] be held.
- 18.30 clearing.
Mernda line: Buses replace trains Bell - Epping from 20.30 (level-crossing works).
Belgrave/Lilydale [and Alamein] lines: Buses replace trains Parliament - Camberwell from 20.30  (maintenance works).
Glen Waverley line: Buses replace trains Richmond/Caulfield - Glen Waverley from 20.30 (maintenance works).
20.36 Lilydale line: Minor delays (police near Mooroolbark).
- 20.41 clearing.

Melbourne Express, Monday, March 25, 2019
9.04 There are minor delays on the Craigieburn, Sunbury and Upfield lines due to an equipment fault between Southern Cross and North Melbourne. Listen out for announcements.
8.42 Delays clearing on the Glen Waverley line after an earlier truck v bridge incident in Huntingdale Road.
Myki changes from Thursday Melbourne commuters will be able to use their Android phones to pay their public transport fares from 7am Thursday. But iPhone users still miss out with negotiations continuing between Apple and the government to use its device.
Apple and the government have been in talks since at least last May but there's still no joy for iPhone users (who make up about half the market).
Interestingly, in the continuing battle of Sydney v Melbourne, our NSW neighbours have notched up a win. Their ticketing system works on an "open loop", allowing commuters to use their debit cards, and therefore iPhones.
So what should the government do? Should our ticketing system only service half the population? Share your thoughts via email or Twitter.
7.22 At Chadstone, only one lane is open in each direction on Huntingdale Road after an overheight truck struck the rail bridge near Jordanville Station. Use Stephensons Road or Warrigal Road to avoid delays. Glen Waverley line trains also experiencing major delays while they wait for bridge engineer.
Hundreds caught in 'very, very scary' cruise ship rescue
video Mass cruise ship evacuation underway off Norway Coast
A cruise ship with 1300 people on board is being evacuated off the Norway Coast after engine failure left them stranded in the middle of a storm.
7.02 Delays of up to 30 minutes on the Glen Waverley line after the Huntingdale Road bridge was hit by a truck. The bridge needs to be checked for any damage. A Metro bridge engineer has been dispatched  and expected on site soon.
6.26 Still lots of red dots on the Metro Trains website, but we're assured those major delays aren't going to affect the peak.
Problems are still showing on the Alamein, Craigieburn, Cranbourne, Hurstbridge, Lilydale, Pakenham and Sunbury. A Metro spokesman says they're a result of individual service cancellations, not a greater problem. Delays should clear soon.
5.52 Lots of trouble on the trains. There are major delays marked for the Craigieburn, Cranbourne, Glen Waverley, Lilydale, Pakenham and Sunbury lines.. We'll call Metro and bring you up to speed on that one soon.
<www.theage.com.au/melbourne-news/melbourne-express-monday-march-25-2019-20190325-p5175t.html>

Why climate change risks are 'material' for big finance March 25, 2019
<www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/why-climate-change-risks-are-material-for-big-finance-20190322-p516or.html>

Mon.25.3.19 The hunt is on to find artists who will be given the rare chance to create public artworks in the heart of Melbourne.
The Victorian government is hoping the six large-scale works will become part of the fabric of the city.
An artist's impression of the platform at the new State Library station.
Five will be within the new Metro Tunnel stations of North Melbourne, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall and Anzac. The sixth will be a "line-wide commission" to span all five stations.
Each piece is expected to draw links to the area’s character and heritage. Parkville Station’s theme will relate to the precinct’s focus on science, research, medicine and health. There are no prizes for guessing the theme sought for Anzac Station’s "legacy piece".
A mix of Victorian, national, international and Indigenous artists will be commissioned to create what is hoped will become iconic artworks.
Creative Industries Minister Martin Foley said the idea was to enhance Melbourne's reputation as Australia’s cultural capital.
“The Metro Tunnel Project will not only transform our rail network, but also help shape Melbourne’s social, cultural and economic future, supporting the city’s growth for decades to come,” he said.
Expressions of interest to create permanent art for the new North Melbourne Station on Arden Street, State Library Station at the northern end of Swanston Street and the line-wide commission are now open.
Commissions for Parkville, Town Hall and Anzac stations will be via invitation, with shortlisted artists to be contacted in coming months.
The line-wide commission will be an artwork created by an Aboriginal artist, selected via a call for expressions of interest to the Indigenous art community.
Lead architect of Federation Square, professor Donald Bates, will sit on the selection panel as well as Max Delany, artistic director and CEO at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art. The government said in a statement that "a senior Victorian Indigenous curator" was also on the panel.
All artists will be selected by the end of this year. The Metro Tunnel is due to open in 2025.
<www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/search-for-artists-to-create-artworks-at-melbourne-train-stations-20190324-p5173w.html>
* Has anyone seen Harold Freedman's transport mural lately? Perhaps it could be tracked down and resurrected.
* Hopefully the public gets to choose the designs at the end otherwise we might end up with another monstrosity like the Yellow Peril. I would like to see fountains in the stations to provide some natural sounds.
* This is an exciting opportunity - albeit one which will no doubt be criticised as a waste of money by many; such is the critique of public art in general.
One need only look as far as Sydney's inspired converted wooden escalator steps in Wynyard station for an example of how public art done well can increase intrigue, mood and evoke unexpected emotions at otherwise unremarkable moments.
I hope one day that in a horrible crowd on the platform which would otherwise induce a temporary bout of anxiety that the public art on these stations can elicit a moment of personal escape or interest to distract me from the chaotic enviorment in a crowd.
* No wonder major projects cost so much in Victoria. They are just supposed to be functional railway stations not an architectural statement.
* What about using that Cavalcade of Transport mural from the old Spencer Street station ?
* A large statue of the premier and transport minister, wearing denim fatigues, surrounded by smiling workers carrying tools symbolising Victoria's wealth.
Metro Trains roll out critical campaign after 20 suicides on the network in 2019
Cranbourne Leader March 25, 2019
Metro staff, police and counsellors chat with customers at Berwick station. Picture: Penny Stephens
A shocking rise in suicides around Melbourne train stations is behind a new mental health campaign targeting commuters, with Metro revealing the devastating effects on its drivers.
There have been 20 suicides on the Metro train network so far this year.
The shocking death toll is having a devastating effect on train drivers and rail staff, with 25 drivers this year seeking help via WorkSafe and one incident resulting in four employees taking time off work.
The terrible statistics have prompted a critical mental health campaign focused on busy stations and known self-harm hot spots.
Dandenong, Berwick, Clayton, Croydon, Box Hill, Ringwood, Sunshine, Footscray, Flinders St and Parliament are on the list.
Metro’s general manager of safety and security, Anthony Fewster, said the death toll in 2019 alone was already much higher than in previous years.
“Incidents of self harm have a devastating effect on the community and our staff,” he said.
“At one point we had 25 drivers on WorkCover claims, with one incident leading to four staff off work — we had to do something.”
Metro’s initiative is being rolled out across the network to raise awareness of mental health problems, promote positive messages and show what support is available.
Metro safety and security team members, mental health advisers and officers from Victoria Police Proactive Unit are visiting the busy staions to talk to commuters and hand out printed information.
They were at Dandenong station in February and Berwick last week, and will be at Clayton in May.
Mr Fewster said the initiative followed last year’s the Pause. Call.. Be Heard. campaign, which was developed by the TrackSAFE Foundation and Lifeline Australia.
“Passengers received messages on their smartphones about Lifeline’s services as they scrolled through their social media feeds,” he said.
The messages were noticed by 26 per cent of randomly selected commuters, with three quarters of those directly engaging with them.
Lifeline 13 11 14.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/south-east/metro-trains-roll-out-critical-campaign-after-20-suicides-on-the-network-in-2019/news-story/032eda9d396d5553fcf192639c9da4cb>
Upgrade to old Sydney trains now expected to be two years late March 25, 2019. 36 comments
The completion of a troubled project aimed at keeping NSW's fleet of Tangara passenger trains in service for an extra decade is forecast to be at least two years late, "sensitive" government documents reveal.
The internal documents, obtained by the Herald using freedom of information laws, show that senior transport officials have pushed out the expected completion date of the Tangara technology upgrade several times, the latest to October 2021.
The project, which is overseen by Transport for NSW, is intended to keep the fleet of 446 Tangara carriages in service for another 10 years by improving their reliability and safety.
The upgrade to the Tangara fleet is not expected to be completed until late 2021.Credit:Phil Hearne
Extending their working life will be critical to Sydney Trains having enough trains to meet surging demand from commuters for services, even when its fleet is boosted by the second batch of 17 new Waratahs over the next few years.
While new doors have been fitted to the Tangara carriages as part of the upgrade, the project is in a more complicated phase of integrating and upgrading technology systems.
A consortium of engineering firm UGL and the UK's Unipart Rail won a $131 million contract in 2015 to upgrade technology on the Tangara fleet, which was due to be completed by May last year.
The contract is part of an overall $219 million budget to upgrade the Tangaras, which includes the installation of automatic train protection technology recommended in 2005 by an inquiry into the Waterfall train crash which killed seven people. The most recent public update 18 months ago from the state's transport agency said the entire project was expected to be completed in 2019.
Transport for NSW said in a statement that it was "continuing to work with our contractor" to ensure that the Tangara technology upgrade was "rolled out as quickly as possible".
"This is a complex project involving trains over 25-years-old that have undergone various modifications over the years," the agency said. "The design phase has been completed and integration, testing and commissioning is now well advanced."
Last month, Sydney Trains chief executive Howard Collins said that the technology upgrade of the Tangara fleet was more complicated than for its other trains. "It is going to get done. We are working with Transport [for NSW] on how best we can assist in making sure that project gets delivered," he said.
The Tangaras entered service on Sydney's network between 1988 and 1995, and the technology upgrade is needed so that they can operate on the T8 Airport and T4 Illawarra lines once an $880 million digital signalling project is completed early next decade.
A larger roll out of automatic train protection technology across the state's trains and electrified rail network has been a challenge since the project began in 2008. As of last June, the government had spent $427 million on the project, which will ensure trains operate within permitted speed limits.
The internal Transport for NSW documents show a shortage of train crew early last year and a "lack of industry capacity" to install the technology on rail tracks had impacted the project, which is due for completion in December 2020.
Related Article Sydney Trains' older fleet has been rated 'poor to unacceptable'. Delays grow as internal report warns old trains in 'poor condition'
Related Article The Berejiklian government is banking on the Sydney Metro project. Old, crowded trains and maxed-out credit: Will the Sydney metro project sway voters?
<www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/upgrade-to-old-sydney-trains-now-expected-to-be-two-years-late-20190314-p5143d.html>

AGL's use of 'huge' market clout costs consumers $3b a year: report March 25, 2019. 129 comments
<www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/agl-s-use-of-huge-market-clout-costs-consumers-3b-a-year-report-20190325-p517a5.html>
   

Measles warning after man visits Brisbane CBD, Valley, Spring Hill March 25, 2019.
Health authorities are concerned the latest measles case in south-east Queensland could be the first recent case of a person contracting the disease in Queensland, instead of overseas.
The Metro North Public Health Unit has confirmed a man who was contagious with the disease visited a number of locations in the Brisbane CBD, Fortitude Valley and Spring Hill from March 13 to March 21.
The tell-tale blotchy rash of a case of measles.Credit:ninevms
The locations include-
•The Sportsman Hotel, Spring Hill – 8-10.30pm Fri 15 March
•Ferny Grove train line Mitchelton to Brisbane Central Station – 1.30pm Sat 16 March
•Fitness First Gymnasium, Elizabeth St, Brisbane – 4pm-5.30pm Sun 17 March
•Palace Cinemas, James St, Fortitude Valley – 8.30pm-11pm Mon 18 March
•Discount Drug Stores, Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley – 10.30am – 11.30 am Tues 19 March and 10.30am – 11.30am Thurs 21 March
<www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/measles-warning-after-man-visits-brisbane-cbd-valley-spring-hill-20190325-p517bl.html>
Airline apologises for 'inappropriate' advertisement on Brisbane buses March 25, 2019. 30 comments
<www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/airline-apologises-for-inappropriate-advertisement-on-brisbane-bus-20190325-p517ck.html>

Facebook could limit hate if it was profitable to do so March 25, 2019. 3 comments
A few weeks ago I visited the home of my daughter’s best friend. In her backyard, this lucky three year old had an outdoor playset complete with slides, swings and a sandpit, and my daughter and I spent a good hour out there together. For the next week, the exact model of playset was advertised to me constantly on Instagram, the photo sharing service owned by Facebook.
While friends in real life, none of us are friends on Facebook, Instagram or any other social media network. So this advertisement was either a lucky fluke, or Facebook used the location data of my smartphone and the smartphones of people we were visiting to guess I’d be interested in at least seeing how much this playset costs; and it was right.
Facebook knows I have a young child thanks to the photos I post to Instagram, and no doubt knows this playset was a recent purchase for the other parents. It’s this kind of precise targeting that makes people paranoid, and feeds the conspiracy theories that Facebook is turning on your microphone and listening to your conversations.
While I don’t believe such things, I’m finding it harder to accept the social media giant is capable of deploying advertisements with military precision, while being incapable of limiting the spread of hate on its platform.
During the recent terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, the perpetrator chose Facebook to stream the massacre online. This video, white supremacist propaganda, was available online for almost an hour before Facebook finally acted. It took human intervention at the highest levels to take down the video but, by then, copies had been made and were being uploaded back to Facebook and YouTube at the rate of one video per second.
If you were feeling generous, you could argue it is much harder for the company to react to such a truly awful and unexpected event, one that was over in just 17 minutes. A less generous reading would be that Facebook, YouTube and other social media platforms focus only on improving the parts of their product that generates revenue. Microtargeting advertisements based on cross referencing location, recent purchases and the social graph helped earn Facebook $US 6.9 billion ($9.7 billion) in the last quarter of 2018. Limiting hateful speech and images only costs the company, in AI and human moderation.
Yet Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have limited this kind of propaganda in the past. All three networks successfully starved ISIS of views and, by doing so, limited the reach and recruitment of that specific hate group. Twitter, Facebook and YouTube need to take nationalism and white supremacy as seriously as they once took ISIS, regardless of any short term loss in revenue it may cause. It is, quite literally, the least these companies could do.
<www.brisbanetimes.com.au/technology/facebook-could-limit-hate-if-it-was-profitable-to-do-so-20190325-p517ab.html>

World Economic Forum delivers negative ranking to Australia on power prices and emissions
Herald Sun March 25, 2019
<www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/world-economic-forum-delivers-negative-ranking-to-australia-on-power-prices-and-emissions/news-story/572951c47a4ca4acaafb501d3e3e7975>