Victoria's public transport minister insists an overhaul of the myki ticketing system won't blow out despite reports the new operator wants more money to deliver long-awaited changes.
New Jersey-based company Conduent has a 15-year deal worth $1.7 billon to overhaul and operate the outdated myki system.
A key focus will be rolling out technology that allows commuters to touch on and off with their bank cards or any smartphone instead of myki cards.
The Age newspaper reports Conduent asked for more funds to deal with technical issues and other concerns, however Public Transport Minister Gabrielle Williams insisted the contract has not changed.
"The contract that was signed was $1.7 billion, it remains a $1.7 billion contract and it is our expectation that this project will be delivered within that budgetary envelope," Ms Williams told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday.
She said Conduent was on track to trial payment by credit card, iPhone and even some smart watches by the end of the year but did not reveal when it will become widely available.
"Depending on how those trials go, and we will be very vigorous in our trialling, that will then determine the schedule for how we can roll out across our state," Ms Williams added.
Victorian opposition leader John Pesutto said commuters were missing out on a ticketing system people around the world could already access and demanded the government be transparent about any requests for funds on top of the contract.
"Why is it so hard for the Allan Labor Government to deliver a service that's enjoyed elsewhere across Australia and elsewhere across the world, they simply can't manage money and they can't manage projects," Mr Pesutto said.
Conduent directed a request for comment to the Victorian Government.
