Public wish list items included: s Liberal Indi candidate Sophie Mirabella, a respresentative from the office of Cathy McGowan (MHR, Indi), together with Nationals state member Tim McCurdy (MLA, Ovens Valley), who have all been vocal on the need to improve trains, were all present. JACLYN Symes (MLC, Northern Victoria) told this weeks public transport forum in Wangaratta that there is a fair bit of catchup required in the North East. Ms Symes (pictured) is co-chairing the committee steering the new plan for regional public transport, and she made no secret that while the plan is for all regional Victoria for the next 20 years, she will be strongly advocating North Easts case when it goes to Transport Minister Jacinta Allan before the end of the year. Im very keen to see some tangible outcomes in next years budget, she said, acknowledging that a push to increase daily V/Line return services from three to four certainly has merit. Ms Symes confirmed the plan is to have short, medium and long term objectives. And she agreed with community sentiment at the forum that the plan should have bipartisan support to give it a life beyond this government. I really hope through this process, given the extensive community consultation, that it will have community ownership and that will give it a life beyond political parties, she said. Nationals MP Tim McCurdy (MLA, Ovens Valley) said that was possible, but said in the long run everything comes back to what the government is prepared to fund. Im very keen to see some tangible outcomes in next years budget. Jaclyn Symes (MLC, Northern Victoria)