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Subject: Sat.10.4.21 daily digest

Roderick

 "200831M-MetroTwitter-Berwick-a-forATN.jpg" with v-n
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 "210410Sa-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-new.train-ss.jpg"
"210410Sa-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-new.train-WhiteNight-ss.jpg"
 "210410Sa-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-photo.opportunity-ss.jpg" [carefully posed where there is a road on each side, and not where there are suburban back fences]
 "210410Sa-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-QueenElizabethII-PrincePhilip-Z.tram.jpg"

Sat.10.4.21 Metro Twitter
Buses replace trains on sections of the Craigieburn line until the last train of Thursday 15 April (level-crossing-removal works).
Buses replace trains Macleod - Hurstbridge until the last train of Sun 11 Apr (works).
Buses replace trains North Melbourne - Sunbury until the last train of Sun 11 Apr (maintenance works).
Sunbury/Craigieburn/Upfield lines: All trains run direct to/from Flinders St all day (maintenance works).  From loop stations, take a Flinders St train from pfm 1.
11.24 Belgrave line: Major delays (equipment faults at Upper Ferntree Gully & Chatham).
- 12.14 now only Upper Ferntree Gully.
- Another “equipment fault”.
16.09 Frankston line: Major delays (vandalism at Seaford). Trains may terminate/originate at Mordialloc.
- 16.17 clearing, but trains may still terminate/originate at Mordialloc.
Pakenham/Cranbourne lines: All trains run direct to/from Flinders St from 21.00 until the last train (maintenance works). From loop stations, take a train from pfm 4 to Richmond.

Coroner asks police to review evidence around Luna Park Ghost Train fire. Natassia Chrysanthos April 10, 2021
The state coroner will consider whether a new inquest should be held into the Luna Park Ghost Train fire and has formally asked NSW Police to review its evidence surrounding the blaze that left seven people dead in 1979.
NSW Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan received an application for a fresh inquest from a person “with sufficient standing” under the Coroners Act on April 8 and now has the capacity to consider that request, according to a statement she released on Saturday.
video Calls for inquiry into 1979 Luna Park Ghost Train fire There are calls for an inquiry into the devastating 1979 Luna Park Ghost Train fire.
Ms O’Sullivan has asked the state crime command to review “all evidence concerning the cause and origin of the fire and the circumstances surrounding the deaths as a result of the fire”, and will make her decision on a fresh inquest once the review is complete.
Six children and a father died in the Sydney theme park fire on June 9, 1979, which police at the time blamed on an electrical fault.
But Sydney Morning Herald investigative reporter Kate McClymont in 2007 revealed claims that notorious Australian crime figure Abe Saffron was behind the deadly blaze.
Over three stories, her investigation spoke exclusively with Saffron’s niece as well as families of the victims for their reaction to the claims it was deliberately lit.
Saffron, who was linked to seven other blazes, was the subject of a later National Crime Authority investigation into the fires. The authority was scathing about the original police investigation.
The final NCA report said Luna Park had been coveted by Saffron for over 20 years, with the ghost train fire lit as a trigger to evict the incumbent tenants and gain control of the lease himself.
The Herald’s report also revealed that the policeman leading the inquiry into the tragedy had earlier been criticised in a royal commission for having a secret business relationship with an associate of Saffron’s, at the same time he was investigating the pair’s involvement in organised crime and clubs.
A new investigative documentary series last month broadcast by the ABC, Exposed, unearthed further witness accounts of the fire and claims corrupt police covered for Saffron.
Some witnesses said they were intimidated by NSW Police to change their original statements about what they had seen.
They now say they saw “bearded bikies wearing leather jackets and knee-high boots who rode on the Ghost Train shortly before the fire began” as well as men talking about using kerosene and matches, according to the ABC’s report.
Former NSW police officers speaking to the ABC have publicly affirmed that Mr Saffron was behind the blaze, but said he was protected by corrupt police and politicians.
Calls have since mounted for a fresh inquiry into the fire, led by the families of the victims and backed by NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian flagged an inquiry was possible last week, when she said “relevant parts of the NSW government” were considering what could be done. “We’ve heard the plight of families,” she said.
EDITOR'S PICK Abe Saffron Niece links Abe Saffron to Luna Park deaths
RELATED ARTICLE Front page of the Sydney Morning Herald in 2007 revealing claims of links between the ghost train fire and underworld figure Abe Saffron. Luna Park fire: The files that linked a Sydney underworld figure to a tragedy
<www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/coroner-asks-police-to-review-evidence-around-luna-park-ghost-train-fire-20210410-p57i44.html>

Man arrested after indecently dealing with 12-year-old girl at Perth train station. Marta Pascual Juanola April 10, 2021
A man from Perth’s southern suburbs has been arrested after he was allegedly caught indecently dealing with a 12-year-old girl at a train station.
Sex offender management squad officers swooped in to arrest the man on Friday after it was revealed he had engaged in inappropriate behaviour with the girl at 6.40am that morning.
The man was arrested by police on Friday. CREDIT:WA POLICE
The incident occurred at Bull Creek train station, on the Mandurah train line.
Footage released by WA Police shows the man being escorted to a police vehicle in handcuffs, his face covered with a blanket, as officers carry several paper bags’ worth of evidence to the car.
The 28-year-old will face Perth Magistrates Court on Saturday charged with indecently dealing with a child under 13 years of age.
<www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/man-arrested-after-indecently-dealing-with-12-year-old-girl-at-perth-train-station-20210410-p57i2y.html>

Taxpayers shelled out almost $1 million for high-capacity train models. Matt Johnston April 10, 2021
Victorian taxpayers were slugged $1m to “meet” a life-size model of the city’s new high-capacity trains while the real project was delayed by two years.
video: The White Night train project $1 million was spent on the sound and light show to showcase the new trains
Taxpayers shelled out more than $1 million to “meet” a life-size model of the city’s new high capacity trains while the real project was two years late getting on to the tracks.
The High Capacity Metro Trains installation at Birrarung Marr, in early 2018, ended with a sound and light extravaganza during the White Night arts festival — a $66,000 chunk of the bill.
Invoices released under Freedom of Information — after initially being partially blocked — to the state opposition show David Atkins Enterprises was paid more than $934,000 for the “Meet Your Train” project.
About $70,000 was also spent on virtual reality activities.
David Atkins is a creative events company based in Sydney that has produced Olympic Ceremonies, the World Expo and sounds and light for Crusty Demons daredevil motorcycling.
The final life-size model of Melbourne's new high capacity Metro train on display. Picture: AAP
Opposition transport infrastructure spokesman David Davis said Premier Daniel Andrews was effectively “advertising a ghost train” because the $2.3 billion HCMT project was so late.
“The claim he’s ‘consulting’ is spurious cover for his taxpayer funded self-promotion,” Mr Davis said.
He said the first train on the tracks wasn’t running until late 2020 when it was supposed to begin testing in late 2018.
The virtual reality activities that cost about $70,000 were for the hi-tech headsets and technical assistance.
A video promoting the HCMT project in 2018 shows the activities in action where children could “experience driving the train in a virtual world”.
“I can see they needed virtual reality because they didn’t have the real trains and wouldn’t have for years to come,” Mr Davis said.
Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan. Picture: Luis Ascui
Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan hit back, saying the Liberals had advertised a “made up airport rail project” when in office but now “have a problem with the Government advertising projects that are real”.
“We’re delivering an unprecedented $80 billion program of works that will transform our transport network — and it’s vital we provide extensive public information and consult with the community, so Victorians can have their say on our projects, and stay informed about disruptions so they can plan their journeys,” she said.
The government has also defended the spending as a very small portion of the $2.3 billion project cost.
More Coverage
Edgy new winter festival replacing White Night
Biggest change in a decade to Melbourne trains
<www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/taxpayers-shelled-out-almost-1-million-for-highcapacity-train-models/news-story/f20f12df60237dad2c6461e2ea0888e2>
* $70,000 must get some nice head sets, I paid about $110 for mine from Harvey Norman.
* The trains that no one rides on anymore because of the hysteria created over COVID? The trains that no one even wants to ride on because the services are bloody unreliable? The trains no one, legally driving our own vehicles in our own massive country, have a need for?? The trains that aren’t Thomas the tank engine and his friends?? Laughable. Truely, truely laughable.
* I am surprised that China is so slow at making our trains.  Or is this another of China's go slow?
* Jacinta don't worry it's only a million and not yours so who cares Roll over and go back to sleep. Oh there maybe a few pensioners who could use some of that to turn on a heater
* they could also contact their energy supplier themselves, and then make a payment arrangement to pay their own frigging bills, so that they can turn their heaters on Steve.
* Classic Labor spin and saturation propaganda.  The new trains are in no sense 'high capacity', and needed a campaign to justify why they were ever ordered.  We had a better prototype in 1992 (built in Australia), and it could have provided real capacity on more of the system despite propagated myths.
* And you’re surprised? It’s Labor! Since when have they every not wasted money? Yet people vote them in.
* This government is using money like it's not their own.
* Isn’t it amazing that when the Victorian Labor Government get pulled up for something that is an obvious waste of taxpayers money the do not address the issue. They do what some children do and say what about what the Libs have done etc. Really, why do they not address the issue, or is it because they can’t justify the overspending. Me thinks they have the opposite of the “Midas touch”.
* These trains are another Dan’s labor govt’s white elephant. Bought cheap poorly made in China quality and are plagued with problems. Already 2 years behind and basically they will be expensive scrap metal
* Jacinta and Dan needed something to make it look they actually know what they are doing. More smoke and mirrors from the Australian Liars Party. Tick toc, tick toc Jacinta.  We are still waiting for those cheap Chinese-built high-capacity trains you signed us up for. Are you up to the job?
* I wish they'd stop with the Victorian investment statements. Not much of it ends up outside of Melbourne
* Ordinarily I would 'you have to be kidding'! But nothing surprises me any more with our State Government. So much waste. And Victorians should take note of where the big spending has gone in this State under Andrews - to building projects, heavily unionised, workers paid way above the rate with the primary goal of securing more voters for Labor.
* The Andrews Govt. seem to believe that they can endlessly spend other people's money. What did we get for $1,000,000 ? A publicity stunt. 
* Does the Minister for Photo Opportunities, Jacinta Allan, believe all the rubbish she sprouts.
* They continue to waste our money and then laugh at us when they are exposed. At some point the money will run dry and then what. We will all be overtaxed with failing infrastructure, no health system and an under budgeted police force and education system. Yep it’s all ok.
* $80 Billion, how much will we be owing China's BRI and how much will China be owning when we can't make payments.
* Maybe they can use the model.
* I do wonder what the true all in value of waste this government has spent on spin to self promote. All governments really, I bet the figures would be staggering. 
* Just tone down the damn train's warning horn or get the drivers to stop playing with them so often, so fed up with getting blasted by them at a station or hearing them echoing around my suburb and even other suburbs at all hours day and night.  I have witnessed multiple times horns blasting from trains when there was no need to do so, i.e. a long straight stretch of track, no cross over roads, no stations, no pedestrian walk overs, etc. etc. I swear some train drivers do it to relieve boredom !
* And yet Victorians voted this mob back in.
* Sheer waste of money!! The Victoria and Queensland Governments are in so much red. How long will it take for our children, grand and great grand kids to repay this gigantic amount of debt?
* So Chairman Dan's Government loves consultation? I wish we were consulted about Skyrail on the Pakenham line.
* Why do socialist governments spend, spend, spend. Because it's NOT their money !
* Not their money.
* Herd immunity achieved - Victorians now immune from any new surprises about the cavalier way in which Dan and his wasteful team recklessly spend and throw away Victorian taxpayers' hard earned money.
* All Govts do it, regardless of the party in power, it's easy, it's not their money!! and the waste is mind blowing 🤑🤑🤑
* All the knocker, you do realize that vehicle manufactures make life size models all the time to check for safety and efficiency of the design plus many other aspects of the proposed build. 
* the bottomless pit of taxpayers money or should I say borrowed money in the first instance but repayable with interest by the taxpayer
* Money is never a problem to Labor Governments.  If they run out, they borrow, and if they can't borrow they tax.  They use the taxpayers credit card to buy the taxpayer magnificent gifts, then congratulate themselves for their generosity.
* Labor stands for "LOOK AT ME". Publicity upon Publicity. Millions of Dollars wasted. Where is this money coming from?
* The complete disregard this government has for our hard earn tax dollars is criminal. These ego trip self promotional projects must end.
* There delivering an 80 BILLION $ project didn't see that in the last budget
* Another stupid waste of taxpayers money, instead of providing other necessary services. I took son to Maroondah Hospital emergence one night this week and we waited three hours. After inquiring how much longer, they could not tell us, but finally admitted that it may be another 3 hours.  After that we left as it was already morning and short time later went to GP whom we have seen within 30 minutes of arrival.  
* The Andrews govt has lost all regard for its financial responsibilities for this state
* And we all know how honest and transparent our govt ministers are when it comes to spending taxpayers dollars !
* One million is nothing compared to the hundreds and hundreds of millions No Care No Responsibility ScoMo and company have wasted on a dud vaccine.
* The “Honourable” minister couldn’t run a school tuckshop let alone run a major on time and on budget.
* Victorians are drunk on waste. They can’t get enough of their government blowing their money. Weird mob down there
* These trains are also being made in China! Thanks Jacinta!
* Can I have the trainset when you’re done?
* Sure, it's been used, so we'll let you have it for only half a million bucks.
* What a beat up
* what a waste of money you mean.
* so your saying: a - the report is false. b - the report is true and it's ok to pee a million dollars up against the wall. which is it Ross ?
* The real question is how much over budget these trains will be. My guess is the one million promotion will ne chicken feed. And a question for the minister, will set number 1 ever run?
* No, as it's already been sent to the scrap yard.
* You gotta love socialism. Just throw other people’s money away! Our money.
* No Accountability at all
* correct the se imbeciles really don’t care and so many are also so stupid that they cannot see where the money is going I think the next election we will be relying on the bush backlash to frighten these inept fools and we can only hope the opposition come out of the wilderness before then
* It is small change compared to the hundreds and hundreds of millions spent by ScoMo and his sidekicks on a vaccine that isn't going to get used vaccinating most of us.

Sat.10.4.21 Melbourne 'Herald Sun' $1m down the train.METRO RUNS LATE BUT BIG AD SPEND ON TIME. MATT JOHNSTON
TAXPAYERS shelled out more than $1m to “meet” a life-size model of the city’s new high-capacity trains while the real project was two years late getting on the tracks.
The High Capacity Metro Trains installation at Birrarung Marr, in early 2018, ended with a sound and light extravaganza during the White Night arts festival — a $66,000 chunk of the bill.
Invoices released under Freedom of Information — after initially being partially blocked — to the state opposition show David Atkins Enterprises was paid more than $934,000 for the Meet Your Train project. About $70,000 was also spent on virtual reality activities.
David Atkins is a creative events company based in Sydney that has produced Olympic ceremonies, the World Expo and sounds and light for Crusty Demons daredevil motorcycling.
Opposition transport infrastructure spokesman David Davis said Premier Daniel Andrews was effectively “advertising a ghost train” because the $2.3bn HCMT project was so late.
“The claim he’s consulting is spurious cover for his taxpayer-funded self promotion,” Mr Davis said.
He said the first train on the tracks was not running until late 2020 when it was supposed to have undergone testing in late 2018.
The virtual reality activities that cost about $70,000 were for the hi-tech headsets and technical assistance.
A video promoting the HCMT project in 2018 shows the activities in action where children could “experience driving the train in a virtual world”.
“I can see they needed virtual reality because they didn’t have the real trains and wouldn’t have for years to come,” Mr Davis said.
Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan hit back, saying the Liberals had advertised a “made-up airport rail project” when in office, but now “have a problem with the government advertising projects that are real”.
“We’re delivering an unprecedented $80bn program of works that will transform our transport network and it’s vital we provide extensive public information and consult with the community so Victorians can have their say on our projects and stay informed about disruptions so they can plan their journeys ” she said.