Thursday, 22 June 2023

Ministers statements: level crossing removals

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery) (14:05): I am very pleased to update the house on the removal of 110 dangerous and congested level crossings across Melbourne. Of course 70 have already been removed and work is underway across another 40, which, can I say, we could not have done without the great workforce working on our projects – and there are some representatives of that workforce in the gallery today. Recently we announced that we are fast-tracking the removal of more level crossings in the areas of the Sunbury, Melton, Werribee and Frankston lines, and as the member for Melton knows, we are making Melton level crossing free by 2026.

Now, a bit of history here: back in 2014 there were 71 level crossings held by representatives of the Liberal Party sitting opposite here today. After the 2022 election there were only 26 level crossings left in those Liberal Party seats. How low can you go? How did that happen? It is a double strategy: you get rid of level crossings and you get rid of Liberals at the same time, so it appears. Is it possible to go lower than 26? We think it is. When it comes to level crossings, it is absolutely possible to go below 26. The member for Caulfield knows this, because we are getting rid of those two dangerous and congested level crossings in Glen Huntly, and as the Leader of the Opposition knows, we also got rid of that dangerous crossing in Surrey Hills, a site where two women lost their lives. We are going to keep on going. We are going to drive down those numbers of level crossings in Liberal seats well below 26.