Thursday, 28 August 2025

Western Highway duplication

Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:29): My question is to the Minister for Transport Infrastructure. Six people have died on the Western Highway near Ararat this year on a section of road that was supposed to be fully duplicated by 2020. When will the duplication project begin?

Gabrielle WILLIAMS (Dandenong – Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Minister for Public and Active Transport) (14:30): I thank the member for his question on a project that I know is of great importance to many in that region. It has indeed been an area that has seen, as you have outlined, a significant number of incidents and accidents over the years. That is why we made the commitment to duplicating that section of road. Construction of the project has unfortunately had to be paused while Major Road Projects Victoria undertakes a number of planning matters. There are multiple issues, including court challenges, that have led to longer construction times for that project. Also important planning and environment management work on the project has continued, including of course the identification of certain trees of significance, a matter that I know the member opposite will be well familiar with. We are working closely with the Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation to finalise a new cultural heritage management plan – CHMP, as we know them. That work is progressing well, and we hope to have more to say about that in due course. I would, though –

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order on the question of relevance, Speaker, these are the exact same answers that we got from the former minister two years ago. We are asking for a date.

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

Gabrielle WILLIAMS: I also wanted to note, before I was interrupted there in giving what I thought was a very sincere and factual response to the member’s question, respecting the time that it has taken to work through these issues, that my colleague the Minister for Roads and Road Safety and I have worked together, and she has delivered a series of interim safety measures along that section of road ahead of the works continuing on the duplication, including, for example, the introduction of a safer speed limit of 80 kilometres an hour, as well as arranging for the installation –

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, notwithstanding all of that, on relevance, this is about when the project will start.

The SPEAKER: Points of order will be made succinctly. Members who make points of order that are not succinct and do not go to a point of order will be sat down. The minister was being relevant to the question.

Gabrielle WILLIAMS: That is right. We will also be installing some additional signs and line marking in the area over the coming weeks to raise driver awareness about the high-risk nature of this section of road. That work is imminent, and that work in terms of the line marking will be taking place over coming weeks.

I do want to give a particular shout-out to my great colleague the member for Ripon, whose advocacy on behalf of her community has been profound and strong on this matter, and she has been a partner in the work of the Minister for Roads and Road Safety and me to implement some of these interim safety measures while we work through some of those challenges, which will enable us to get on with the duplication of that section of road.

Danny O’BRIEN (Gippsland South) (14:34): The government’s Big Build website highlights that in the past 10 years to December there have been 174 crashes on the highway between Ballarat and Stawell, including 16 fatalities and 105 people seriously injured. This does not include the six fatalities this year. What is the revised completion date for the duplication project?

Gabrielle WILLIAMS (Dandenong – Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Minister for Public and Active Transport) (14:34): To clarify, were you just referencing the Ararat to Stawell section or the Buangor to Ararat section?

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, I seek your guidance. I thought the idea of question time was for us to ask them questions.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Consumer Affairs can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Minister for Consumer Affairs withdrew from chamber.

The SPEAKER: There is an opportunity for clarification. However, the minister can answer as the minister wishes.

Gabrielle WILLIAMS: I do appreciate that it has been some time since those opposite have had to deliver a project and that therefore distinguishing between projects can sometimes be a challenge.

Members interjecting.

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

Member for Evelyn withdrew from chamber.

Gabrielle WILLIAMS: They are, let us face it, having a bit of a stinker of a day when it comes to asking questions.

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, the minister is debating the question. Let me be very clear: the substantive question was about –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Mildura can leave the chamber for an hour. The member for Thomastown can leave the chamber for an hour and a half.

Members for Mildura and Thomastown withdrew from chamber.

The SPEAKER: I ask members to make points of order succinctly. It is not an opportunity to make a statement to the house.

Danny O’Brien: Speaker, the minister is debating the question. The substantive question –

The SPEAKER: That is all you need to say, Leader of the Nationals.

Danny O’Brien: Speaker, I am entitled to make a point of order.

The SPEAKER: You have made the point of order. You have said that the minister is debating the question. That is the point of order.

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, I seek your guidance on being sat down without being able to make an entire point of order, yet now apparently the minister can direct you to clarify the question.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! I advise members to read the standing orders. Leader of the Nationals, you made your point of order around debating. It is not an opportunity during a point of order to add further to that point of order. If you wish to make a further point of order, I invite you to do so.

Danny O’Brien: I would like to make a further point of order now, Speaker. Under what standing order are ministers able to ask opposition members to clarify a question?

The SPEAKER: That is not a point of order.

Gabrielle WILLIAMS: Of course the point I was trying to make in asking for clarification from the member was that he was actually in his substantive question referring to a different project than in his supplementary question, so there are questions about whether that is related. Nevertheless, I will answer it. I have answered the original question about the Buangor to Ararat phase of the project. In terms of the Ararat to Stawell phase of the project, it is currently progressing well in planning, and there are a number of activities that have taken place on that, things like – (Time expired)