THE Victorian government is "rolling" in cash and it should immediately order new V/Line passenger trains for the North East line, the Greens state leader believes.
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Greg Barber, on a visit to Wodonga, argued there was nothing to prevent Victorian Transport Minister Jacinta Allan procuring fresh rolling stock to replace 1980s carriages on the Albury route.
"They should press the button immediately on ordering it and deliver it as quickly as possible," Mr Barber said.
"There's no reason why that money couldn't be allocated in the coming budget."
Mr Barber dismissed any financial impediment.
"They're rolling in it," he said.
"I know politicians are always going around telling you that you can't have what you want, there's not enough money, but if you look at the state's capital works budget, even a few years out, there's huge cashflow there.
"They've got huge tax revenues coming in."
Acting Transport Minister Luke Donnellan defended the wait for new rolling stock.
"You can't make major investments until you've done the planning, which is what our $15 million investment in the recent state budget is all about," Mr Donnellan said.
"It will upgrade the existing fleet while we plan for the next generation of trains for the North East line."
Mr Barber's comments follow Ms Allan releasing a public transport plan for Victoria in May which did not set a timeframe for the ordering and introduction of new North East rolling stock.
"Why was the V/Line plan that Jacinta produced such a disappointment to every part of country Victoria, because they don't care about country Victoria," Mr Barber said.
"Frankly in safe Liberal seats Labor and Liberal don't care and in safe Labor seats Labor and Liberal don't care."
Mr Donnellan spruiked his party.
"It's only ever Labor that invests in public transport - the Greens can't and the Liberals and Nationals don't," he said.
Mr Barber hopes the 2014 election result in the upper house seat of Northern Victoria, which saw Labor's Jaclyn Symes edge out Green candidate Jenny O'Connor for the last place, will force Labor into action.
"It was a close run count between Green and Labor up here, there was only 172 votes across the whole of Northern Victoria that decided it," he said.
"So the good news is you all live in a ultra marginal seat and the Greens are very keen to win that seat at the next election."
Mr Barber said in the short term the Greens would be seeking answers from the government through the budget estimates process.
