Tuesday, 20 May 2025

Ministers statements: transport infrastructure

Gabrielle WILLIAMS (Dandenong – Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Minister for Public and Active Transport) (12:20): The Allan Labor government has a strong track record in building transport infrastructure, in creating jobs and of course in boosting transport services as well. On this side of the house we are a party of builders, not blockers. We build the infrastructure needed to support our state to grow, because the fact is new infrastructure is all about unlocking more services for Victorians.

A decade ago we started investing in the Metro Tunnel, which will open later this year, a year ahead of schedule, and this project is the biggest transformation of our network since the opening of the city loop over 40 years ago. The Metro Tunnel was always about delivering more trains more often, freeing up capacity to deliver the services our community will need over time. This year we are continuing to do the work to unlock more services by getting on with works at Sunshine, the first stage of airport rail and the first stage of the Melton line electrification, untangling that complex rail junction and enabling more services not just to the western suburbs but to the western region as well. Two years ago we introduced the regional fare cap, and that has returned more than $130 million to household budgets across the state. Now this year we are building on that to deliver free weekend travel for seniors anywhere in the state. The member for Rowville will be looking forward to that.

All of the transport investment in this year’s budget is possible because of the decade of investment in transport infrastructure, in services and in fare reform that came before it. Those opposite have opposed the Metro Tunnel, they oppose the works at Sunshine and they oppose the extra services that have been enabled by those projects. On this side of the house we are investing in livability, we are putting money back into household budgets and we are getting Victorians to where they need to go.