Tuesday, 3 October 2023

Ministers statements: Victoria’s Big Build

Danny PEARSON (Essendon – Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Assistant Treasurer, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC) (14:14): As the new Minister for Transport Infrastructure, one of my priorities is to ensure that Victoria’s Big Build not only improves access to transport but improves housing affordability. Our Big Build is slashing travel times to get Victorians to work and to education as quickly as possible every single day. With the Cranbourne line duplication, the Hurstbridge line upgrade, the Mernda extension, the Ballarat line upgrade, the Pakenham line extension and the Melton line upgrade the government is expanding rail services into the growth corridors of Melbourne. The Metro Tunnel, as the Premier has indicated, is a year ahead of schedule, and it is going to slash rail times by up to 50 minutes a day from places including Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury and everywhere in between.

But we can do more about increasing the availability of affordable housing near existing and improved public transport in our middle suburbs. We will build both up and out, making sure Victorians can afford to live where they want, close to where there are work opportunities and in thriving and sustainable communities. Putting more housing, more education and more jobs near more trains – it just makes sense. We will deliver an additional 60,000 homes in an initial 10 locations across Melbourne – at Broadmeadows, Camberwell Junction, Chadstone, Epping, Frankston, Moorabbin, Niddrie, North Essendon, Preston and Ringwood, all locations with access to good public transport – building more homes closer to where people have the transport, roads, hospitals and schools that they need.

The Suburban Rail Loop, a project that was opposed by those opposite not once but twice, will slash travel times to universities and health and job precincts right across Melbourne. Increased housing in the SRL precincts will cut the cost of housing and cut the cost of transport, saving Victorians both time and money. I am not going to waste a day when it comes to slashing travel times and improving affordability right across this state.