Wednesday, 16 August 2023

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop) (14:07): Having access to affordable public transport close to where you live or work or study is at the core of the Andrews Labor government’s Big Build program. It is also core to our plan to support more affordable housing across the state. That is where the Premier is today – at national cabinet, talking about these very matters. Consider the foundations we have got here in Victoria as a consequence of decisions that we have made. Whether it is projects like the Mernda rail extension, the Pakenham East rail extension – as part of our level crossing program we are extending the train line to Pakenham East – our Cranbourne line duplication, our Hurstbridge line duplication, the work on the Ballarat line upgrade or the Sunbury line, these projects are all providing more trains more often to our growth areas in the outer suburbs of Melbourne.

And of course there is the Metro Tunnel, with turn-up-and-go services. This is a project that is being built in the heart of the city that will again benefit places like Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury. Also along the way there are key employment areas and key housing areas like Dandenong, Oakleigh, Caulfield, Arden, Footscray and Sunshine that will all benefit from having additional train services closer to where people live and closer to where people work. Of course there is that other transformational project, the Suburban Rail Loop, which will provide access across Cheltenham, Clayton, Monash University, Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill, providing better transport services closer to where people live and providing jobs as well. This simply makes sense. This simply makes sense – to provide more houses, more jobs, more education services and more public transport. I have mentioned the Metro Tunnel, I have mentioned the Suburban Rail Loop and I have mentioned those rail line extensions, and you are in opposition to each and every one of them.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! I will remove members from the chamber without warning should there be an increase in interjections. I am not going to stand for it today.