Wednesday, 15 November 2023

Level crossing removals

David SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (14:37): My question is to the Minister for Transport Infrastructure. Yesterday the minister told the house that if you look at the level crossing removal program there was not a dollar from Canberra. In July 2020 the federal government provided $8 million in funding to the Victorian government to develop a business case to remove the level crossing at Glenferrie Road. Will the minister admit that he misled the house?

Danny PEARSON (Essendon – Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Assistant Treasurer, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC) (14:38): I think what the Deputy Leader of the Opposition is demonstrating is the fact that those opposite do not know the difference between planning and delivery. They have not delivered a single level crossing. This was planning –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order!

Danny PEARSON: Again, it speaks to their record in office where they had their business case for airport rail –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Croydon can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Member for Croydon withdrew from chamber.

David Southwick: On a point of order, Speaker, the minister is clearly debating the question. I would ask that you bring him back to answering the question.

The SPEAKER: The minister will come back to answering the question.

Danny PEARSON: The reality is that when it comes to removing level crossings, getting rid of level crossings, we are the only party in this state that is getting on with the job of removing level crossings. We have gotten on with the job of removing 72 level crossings. I look around this chamber and so many of my colleagues – and even a few over there – have benefitted from this work.

David Southwick: On a point of order, Speaker, I ask you to bring the minister back to answering the question. On relevance, this is about whether the minister misled the house yesterday.

The SPEAKER: Member for Caulfield, I am a bit tired of frivolous points of order. If you cannot call a point of order that is relevant to the standing orders, I would ask you not to call a point of order. The minister was being relevant at this point. I ask the minister to come back to the answer.

Danny PEARSON: Again, I am just super proud to be a member of this government, which is getting on with the job of removing 72 level crossings at the moment. We will have a 73rd removed by the end of the year in Cranbourne, and we are on track to removing 110 level crossings right across this state. 110 of those level crossings are being delivered by the Andrews–Allan Labor government.

Darren Cheeseman interjected.

The SPEAKER: Member for South Barwon, you can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Member for South Barwon withdrew from chamber.

David SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (14:40): Also in July 2020 the federal government provided $2 million to the Victorian government for a feasibility study into the removal of level crossings at Tooronga Road and at Madden Grove in Burnley. Will the minister admit that he misled the house yesterday by saying ‘not a single dollar’, ‘not a single dollar from Canberra’? Again, will the minister come back and tell us he misled the house?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Caulfield, you asked two questions. Would you like to define which question you want answered? Just the last question or the one before it?

David SOUTHWICK: Will the minister come clean and tell us that he misled the house yesterday?

Danny PEARSON (Essendon – Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Assistant Treasurer, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC) (14:41): Well, look, clearly Josh Frydenberg is moonlighting in the member for Caulfield’s office, writing these questions. We are getting on with the job of removing these dangerous and deadly level crossings right across Melbourne, and it is only the Allan Labor government that can be trusted to remove these level crossings.