Tuesday, 6 February 2024

Ministers statements: Suburban Rail Loop

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:04): This morning I was very pleased to join with the Minister for Transport Infrastructure and our hardworking member for Ashwood in Burwood to mark the commencement of works at all six Suburban Rail Loop sites. This morning we met a young man called Wiki, who is an engineering and construction graduate. He is starting work this week, and he will be starting his very first job on one of the state’s biggest and most important projects. He is one of so many young apprentices, trainees, cadets and graduates who are working on Big Build sites right around the state right now, helping to build the projects that our growing city and state need.

When it comes to the Suburban Rail Loop, this is a real project. This is a real project with real workers, and real construction is taking place. It is a project that real Victorians overwhelmingly voted for, and we are not wasting a day. There are some who by 2026 –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Members at the table!

Jacinta ALLAN: By 2026 four giant tunnel-boring machines will be in the ground, powering through those twin tunnels. There will be 4000 workers like Wiki working on this. Major construction will be underway, and we will have housing come to life. Real people build projects – real people who have real families who rely on those real pay packets going home each and every week to support them and their families. All of this is at risk from the fake Leader of the Opposition, who is all about the politics and not about the people.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Before I call the next question I would ask members to be a little bit more respectful in the chamber. It is not appropriate to be interjecting at this level. Members will be removed without warning.