Wednesday, 29 May 2024

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Transport infrastructure

David SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (14:03): My question is to the Premier. On Monday the Deputy Premier said Melbourne Airport rail is a $17 billion major project:

Seven billion dollars in combination with the $10 billion from the Commonwealth and the state that makes it ‍– I think on my maths – a $17 billion project. We’d be able to get it done tomorrow.

Is this the government’s position?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:03): I am absolutely delighted to answer this question from the Shadow Minister for Transport Infrastructure and member for Caulfield, because the key word in the shadow minister’s question, quoting not quite accurately the Deputy Premier, was ‘if’. Let me tell the shadow minister and the house the ‘if’. There was never $7 billion on the table from the airport. At no stage was there $7 billion.

Peter Walsh interjected.

Jacinta ALLAN: No, I was in those meetings, Leader of the National Party, and there was never $7 billion. That is why I was as surprised as the Deputy Premier was on Monday to hear of this $7 billion. The Deputy Premier was surprised. He expressed surprise on Monday, as did I, because it is simply fact that there was never $7 billion on the table from the airport. What is a fact is of course that the airport project is a project that has three partners that are required to deliver this project: the state government, the federal government and of course the airport themselves. What you need when you are building a train line to the front door of the airport is to get from the fence line to the front door of the airport, and to be able to do that you need the cooperation of the landowner – in this instance, the airport.

We have been clear for some time now that the negotiations with the airport have been frustrated. They have caused delay, and the only talk of money from the airport has been their demands for hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation.

David Southwick: On a point of order, Speaker, I would ask you to bring the Premier back to answering the question about the $17 billion project. Is that the government’s current position?

The SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: This mythical $7 billion was of course something that was referred to in the context of a market-led proposal that the airport was part of some years ago. I will refer to something the Minister for Transport Infrastructure has said. The former Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the former Premier Daniel Andrews did not agree on much, but they agreed that that was a dud deal. They agreed that that was an absolute dud deal, which we both collectively did not support. What we need for this project to proceed is the airport’s cooperation, which is why the Commonwealth have appointed a mediator, and we are working with the Commonwealth on that process.

David SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (14:06): On Monday the Deputy Premier refused to rule out additional costs to taxpayers following revelations of structural defects on the West Gate Tunnel major project. How much more will Victorian taxpayers have to pay for the West Gate Tunnel?

The SPEAKER: Member for Caulfield, I will allow the question because in your substantive question you referred to a major project and in your supplementary question you referred to a major project.

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:07): I am delighted to talk about major projects. If the shadow minister wants to talk about major projects, let us talk about major projects. We have already talked about the West Gate Tunnel. We can talk about the North East Link, which is going to support 8000 jobs. We can talk about the removal of 76 level crossings, with more to come – again, projects that those opposite have not supported along the way. Then of course the big major project is the Metro Tunnel. Your question was all about major projects, member for Caulfield. I am being entirely consistent –

David Southwick: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, I would ask you to bring the Premier back to answering the question. I know she is scared about how much the West Gate Tunnel is actually going to cost. If the Premier wants to talk –

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Caulfield –

David Southwick: Can I finish my point of order, please, Speaker?

The SPEAKER: No. The member for Caulfield will resume his seat. The point of order was on relevance; there is no need to extrapolate on that. There is no point of order.

Jacinta ALLAN: Of course I am delighted to continue to talk about major projects. As the Minister for Health knows, there are major projects like the Footscray Hospital, which is also due to open next year, and then of course there is the Suburban Rail Loop. The Suburban Rail Loop, which the Leader of the Opposition –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Minister for Environment, you are warned.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, this question, on relevance, related to the comments of the Premier’s stalking horse.

The SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order.

Jacinta ALLAN: Speaker, I am delighted to answer this question consistent with your ruling that I focus on talking about major projects, and that is exactly what we are doing. Only this side of the house can talk about major projects; they have only opposed them.