Tuesday, 14 October 2025

 Sonya KILKENNY (Carrum – Attorney-General, Minister for Planning) (14:27): The Allan Labor government is opening doors for thousands of families, young people and workers who want to live in well-connected suburbs – suburbs with great access to public transport – and soon these connections will get even better because in December, a full year ahead of schedule, the Metro Tunnel will open. This transformational project will deliver faster journeys, more services and direct access to jobs, education and opportunities linking the west, the centre and the south-east of our city, from West Footscray through to Caulfield, Oakleigh, Springvale, Noble Park and Dandenong.

But the benefits do not stop there. By freeing up space in the city loop, the Metro Tunnel adds capacity across the entire network, with over 1000 new train services when we flick the switch. That is why our train and tram zone program is so important, delivering more than 300,000 new homes across 60 metropolitan train and tram centres. This is good policy and good reform, building homes where Victorians want to live right around those train stations, and it is backed by our fast-track development pathway for projects that include affordable homes. By slashing –

Interjections from gallery.

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister will resume her seat until the gallery is cleared.

Sonya KILKENNY: We are slashing stamp duty as well. Right now we are consulting with communities on draft maps for 25 train and tram zone activity centres, including stations along the Sunbury to Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. Each map is carefully designed street by street, metre by metre, with more height for homes near train stations and gentler, low-rise change in surrounding areas. While we are opening doors to more homes and better connected transport, those opposite just want to slam them shut, locking young people out of the suburbs they grew up in. Only Labor has a plan to deliver for Victoria; those opposite just have their exit strategy.