After 30 years Mildura officials are still pushing for the return of a passenger rail service

A Mildura MP is determined to make passenger rail to the state’s northwest an election issue.

Mildura MPs have doubled down on the need for a passenger rail service to return to the region.

During Question Time last week Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said rail was a “must have” for many Victorians.

But independant Mildura MP Ali Cupper has questioned why the government has continued to ignore Victoria’s northwest.

Ms Cupper said the Mallee would be an integral part of the upcoming election and the cost of her support would a passenger rail service.

“There are times where this seat has been incredibly important politically... now is not the time for the government or the opposition to be taking Mildura for granted,” she said.

“They need to start doing some sums around bringing a passenger train back to Mildura.”

Mildura MP Ali Cupper is pushing for the reinstatement of Mildura’s passenger rail.

She emphasised that Mallee politicians had been fighting for this for a long time, and despite the state government’s apathy, she didn’t intend to give up.

“This a perennial fight that we’ve been having, and we won’t stop,” she said.

“Successive governments over the last 30 years have made it pretty clear that unless they have to, they’re not funding it.... They’ve hoped that it will just go away and we’ll stop asking.”

Ms Cupper pointed out that every other major city had a rail connection to the state’s capital.

“We are asking for simple parity with every other major regional city in Victoria which has a passenger rail to the capital city,” she said.

“We’re not asking for special treatment, we’re not asking for a luxury item, we are just asking for an essential service.”

It is a sentiment that has been echoed by the city council as well.

In a statement from Mayor Liam Wood, he highlighted the amount of support that passenger rail had across all levels of government.

“The return of passenger rail to Mildura has the support of representatives from all three tiers of government, highlighting how vital the service is to connect our community to the rest of the state,” he said.

In the last 30 years Mildura has been key seat in a number of elections but still remains without a passenger rail service.

Mildura last had passenger rail service in 1993.