Wednesday, 12 November 2025

 Will FOWLES (Ringwood) (19:15): (1395) My adjournment matter this evening is directed to the Minister for Transport Infrastructure, and the action I seek is for the minister to release the traffic modelling and estimates for vehicle usage for the North East Link, particularly for the route connecting the eastern suburbs to Tullamarine Airport. We know that lots and lots of people in the eastern suburbs are going to be using North East Link to get to the airport. It is a very good thing.

According to appendix K of the North East Link transport assessment project case report, the project is expected to reduce travel times from Doncaster to Melbourne Airport by 25 to 30 per cent. That is at page K-62. That is a very significant reduction, and we have had a pretty good go at trying to extract some information about the data supporting this reduction without any success to date. It is crucial the minister release the modelling and the estimates behind these figures to give the public a clearer picture of the impacts on traffic flow and of course on local infrastructure.

I think the North East Link project is a very good project. I think it is part of the reason why the Labor government is going to be returned in November 2026. But it is information that is essential for us and my community to understand about how the North East link is going to help ease congestion on major routes like the Eastern Freeway and M2 and improve access to key locations for my constituents, especially to Melbourne Airport. I am a regular traveller to Melbourne Airport, as I am sure many members of this chamber are, and the route at the moment is being chopped up considerably as you travel from Ringwood because of all the works establishing the North East Link project. I am particularly concerned about parts of the route, and I am keen to understand on behalf of my constituents exactly what it all entails.

So identifying the changes, how they are going to affect surrounding communities, how they are going to affect our local road networks – considering the scale of this project it is just vital we have access to the data so we can make sure the benefits of reduced travel time are fully realised and that any challenges, like potential traffic increases in nearby areas, are addressed early. By understanding the detail of the modelling we can potentially pick up any problems in what the government has modelled. So release the modelling and my community will be properly informed, and it will help ensure that North East Link delivers on its promise, not just for my constituency but indeed for all Victorians.