Tuesday, 3 May 2022

Ministers statements: level crossing removals

Ms ALLAN (Bendigo East—Leader of the House, Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop) (12:45): On 14 May 2015 the Leader of the Opposition proudly proclaimed that Labor’s level crossing removal program was ‘all talk and no action’. On 14 May this year what we will see is the dangerous and congested level crossing at Glenroy will be gone for good—the 60th level crossing to be removed in seven years by the Andrews Labor government and the tens of thousands of people who are working on our program.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Frankston can leave the chamber for the period of 1 hour.

Member for Frankston withdrew from chamber.

Ms ALLAN: And not only that, there will be a new Glenroy station, marking the 35th new train station to be built as part of this program. And, as we have seen, we are also bringing a new vibrancy to the heart of Glenroy with the new station—a new open space that will unite the community of Glenroy for the first time in 100 years.

Only the Andrews Labor government committed to removing 50 level crossings by the end of this year, but what we are seeing is that 59, soon to be 60, will be gone. It has been a massive driver of support for the Victorian economy and the Victorian community as thousands of workers and small businesses have worked with us on this program. Some might shut up shop on their attempts to oppose this program, but no—at Surrey Hills, at Parkdale and at Ringwood they continue to fight the removal of every single level crossing. Only the Andrews Labor government committed to 50 in the first place—we have added 35—and it is only the Andrews Labor government that will continue to deliver the removal of dangerous and congested level crossings.

Mr R Smith: On a point of order, Speaker, I have an outstanding question in to the Minister for Planning. The Minister for Planning was supposed to give me an answer to this question on 21 April this year. The question is: what percentage of fines issued by the Victorian Building Authority between 1 January 2019 and 28 February 2022 remain outstanding? The minister has not yet replied. I am sure that he has been very busy, but I would love a response to that question. I will pass the number on to the clerks as soon as possible.

The SPEAKER: I thank the member for raising that issue, and I am sure the Minister for Planning will organise that response very quickly.

Mr Rowswell: Also on a point of order, Speaker, I have a number of unanswered questions: 4661, 4602, 6331, 6273, 6244, 6214, 6184, 6114, 6090 and 5753. I am happy to provide those to the Clerk. I will just note one is to the Premier in relation to events that are being sponsored by the Victorian government to celebrate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee. As we are about a third of the way through that program already and that answer is well overdue, I would be very keen to receive that response.

The SPEAKER: I thank the member. I will follow that matter up.

Mr Wells: Also on a point of order, Speaker, on unanswered questions, 5885 was due on 7 July last year, can you believe it, and that was to the Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers. My second one is 6174, which was for the Minister for Child Protection and Family Services, and that was due in early January. I would ask if you could follow those two up, please.

The SPEAKER: I thank the member for that. We will follow those matters up.