Tuesday, 13 May 2025

Ministers statements: transport infrastructure

Gabrielle WILLIAMS (Dandenong – Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Minister for Public and Active Transport) (14:33): This government has a strong record of building transport infrastructure, improving accessibility and safety and of course creating lots and lots of jobs along the way. But the real reason we invest in transport infrastructure is because it allows us to deliver more public transport services – more services that get people to work, more services that get people to education opportunities and of course to important appointments and social occasions as well.

Yesterday the Premier and I and lots of colleagues from the mighty west were at Sunshine station to announce funding for even more trains more often, giving Victorians more options to get to where they need to go. None of that would be possible without the Metro Tunnel project. We are investing in more services on the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines, which will run through that brand new Metro Tunnel later this year. We are also investing in more trains more often for passengers on the Werribee, Sandringham, Craigieburn and Upfield lines, and we are investing in better train frequency and capacity on the Seymour, Gippsland and Bendigo lines as well.

These investments will reduce wait times for busy Victorians catching public transport. They will also, of course, create capacity and make journeys easier across the board. And with our partners in Canberra, we are going to transform that messy rail junction at Sunshine to prepare for the years ahead and the growth ahead, with works getting underway next year. The Sunshine project does three things: it is the first stage of airport rail, it is the first stage of Melton electrification and it paves the way for even more train services for people in our western suburbs and our western region. Those opposite stood against and opposed the Metro Tunnel. The member for Bulleen was out yesterday opposing the extra services that it enables. They stand for nothing and they stand up for no-one.