A flash back to the 2005 State Budget

A week today is the 2026 Victorian State Budget. 

Here's what I'll do. 

On Thursday I'll have an item on the state's general political and financial context. 

Then on Tuesday afternoon I'll discuss the budget's contents. Especially what we don't yet know about.

Some details were released last week including welcome rail service uplifts discussed here and here. 

Today though I want to draw you attention to the 2005 state budget. It set in train many bus service boosts including more than 100 bus routes getting Sunday service and later trips at night. Plus new coverage in growth areas and a SmartBus network installed by 2010 (not extended since).

All-up 8000 weekly bus services were added in just 18 months, setting a record of bus service uplifts that has never been exceeded since.  

Learn more about this momentous state budget in this retrospective from last year:

https://melbourneontransit.blogspot.com/2025/09/tt-213-how-melbourne-added-8000-weekly.html

As noted before this year's budget has funded higher train frequencies for the Burnley and Clifton Hill groups. We'll know this day next week how close this year's budget comes close to 2005's achievement in funding much-needed improvements for buses.